If you get a phone call from the Social Security Administration, don’t answer. The call is not from the Social Security Administration — it’s crooks calling, trying to have your monthly SSA checks redirected to them. On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, Chairman of the Senate Aging Committee, issued a warning about a new scam […]
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Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Don’t answer the phone! Screen calls
One way to avoid being scammed is to not answer the phone — let it go to voice mail and screen your calls, experts say. Each year, the Federal Trade Commission releases a book on scams reported to the agency the prior year. This year’s report shows that impostor scams are a serious and growing […]
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Posted inNation / World
New phone scam wants your ‘yes’ not your money
PORTLAND — A new telephone scam is attempting to steal voice recordings of people in Maine. Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican, says the scam has been reported to the Senate Aging Committee’s fraud hotline. The fraudulent callers ask simple questions such as “Are you there?” and “Can you hear me” in the hopes of coaxing […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine AG: Sellers of supplements deceived consumers in $6.5M scam
AUGUSTA (AP) — The Maine attorney general’s office and federal authorities have filed a complaint against three corporations and six individuals accused of falsely advertising, marketing, distributing and selling pills for joint pain and memory problems. The Portland Press Herald reports (http://bit.ly/2meFf7q ) the consumer fraud lawsuit was filed on Wednesday in federal court. Two […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Police warn of scam threatening death if money isn’t sent
FALMOUTH (AP) — Police in Falmouth are warning of a scam in which someone threatens to carry out a murder-for-hire plot if financial payments aren’t made to an overseas recipient. Police say a resident received a text message on her phone Tuesday. The message said the sender had been “paid to kill” the resident and […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Police warn Mainers of scam that threatens life of its victims
FALMOUTH (WGME) — The Falmouth Police Department is warning Mainers about a scam which threatens the victim with violence and death if they don’t pay. Police say Falmouth resident received a text message on her phone Tuesday which said: “I’ve been paid to kill you but wish to spare you, inform the police or anyone […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
‘Tech support’ calls, pop-ups are scams
People calling your home saying they are “tech support” are part of billion-dollar scam industry, the AARP Fraud Watch says. The scam can occur either over the phone or online. The goal of the scammer is to take control of your computer remotely, telling you that you have viruses that can be fixed for a […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Scam alert: Leave debit cards home
As you head out to do Christmas shopping, leave the debit card at home, AARP recommends. Why? When it comes to fraud and theft, credit cards are safer, experts say. With credit cards, the cardholder is usually liable for only up to $50 of fraudulent use, and most credit card companies will waive this fee. […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
3 arrested in credit card scam
NEW GLOUCESTER — Three out-of-state men have been arrested for what police describe as an elaborate credit card cloning scheme. Officials at the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office said they began investigating the matter when several residents of New Gloucester and Gray reported that fraudulent charges had been made on their credit cards at local businesses. […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Scammers may pretend to be part of campaign
With the 2016 elections around the corner, scammers have found a new way to try to trick consumers by pretending they’re calling from a campaign. Here’s how it works, according to AARP’s Fraud Watch Network: The con usually starts with a scammer spoofing a presidential candidate’s telephone number so that the call appears to come […]