The Maine courts are warning people about a phone scam. Scammers are using “caller ID spoofing” to show phone numbers from Maine courts and asking people for money. Court spokeswoman Mary Ann Lynch says no one from the Maine courts will call and ask for social security numbers, credit card account numbers, or bank account information. […]
scams
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Seniors warned about scam epidemic
PORTLAND – The phone rings. You pick up and say “Hello.” No one’s there. It could be a “mystery phone call scam,” according to Maine AARP and U.S. Sen. Susan Collins. Collins and AARP leaders held a news conference Wednesday to release a top 10 list of ways seniors are getting scammed. Collins called the […]
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Posted inRiver Valley
Mexico police
MEXICO — Police officers responded to 122 calls in the past week, including the following: * On June 10, a Roxbury Road resident reported that someone backed into the garage door at his home sometime around June 5 and damaged three sections of the door. “We have no idea who did it,” Chief Roy Hodsdon […]
Posted inRiver Valley
Mexico police log
MEXICO — The Police Department responded to 158 calls for service from April 13 to 29, including three reports of frauds or scams, Chief Roy Hodsdon said. “One on Middle Avenue and another on Kimball Avenue were callers saying they were from the Internal Revenue Service and telling residents that they would be arrested for […]
Posted inRiver Valley
Dixfield police report increase in scam calls
DIXFIELD — The Police Department responded to 31 calls for service from Feb. 23 to March 6, including some phone scams, Chief Jeff Howe said Friday morning. “We’ve been getting buried with fraudulent phone calls, ranging from IRS scams to fake winnings scams,” he said. He attributed the volume to tax return season. The IRS […]
Posted inSpecials
What to know before you click and send that money
When it comes time to pay the babysitter or reimburse a friend for lunch, most people use cash or write checks. But an increasing number of others instead turn to their computer or smartphone to make a person-to-person or “P2P” payment. P2P payments can be convenient, but there are potential costs and risks, in areas such as the privacy of your personal information. FDIC […]
Posted inOur View
Prize scams simply prey upon elderly
It’s nice to think about being suddenly and unexpectedly rich, especially if you’re struggling on a limited income or relying upon Social Security. So, when a Lewiston man got a letter announcing he had won a big prize in a contest, he followed the instructions, sent the company $20 and waited for his prize to […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Jennifer Warriner: Elders are easy targets for scams
An elderly woman living alone relies on a handyman to take care of home maintenance. She is visually impaired and has trouble writing his paychecks. He offers to help, and she accepts because she has come to trust him. After a few weeks, he adds a zero to make the $60 check into $600. More […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Mainers lose millions annually to scams, Maine’s attorney general says
BANGOR — When people talk about the elderly being gullible or prey to scam artists, Francine Wickes counts herself out. A retired occupational therapist and English as a second language teacher, the 85-year-old Bangor resident lived for many years in Indonesia and parts of Europe and doesn’t mind being described as worldly and wary. But […]