Detective Scott Hayden, of the Lincoln County Sheriff Department, spoke to residents at The Lincoln Home about a number of scams that target seniors. Although his presentation was geared to seniors, Detective Hayden reported these scams have affected all age groups in Lincoln County.
The Lincoln Home provided the following summary of Hayden’s tips:
Some of the tips Hayden offered included not answering your phone if you don’t know who is calling. There are criminals who are posing to be from Social Security, the IRS, Medicare, Vehicle or Appliance Warranty services, Central Maine Power, US Cellular and Spectrum, to name a few. You may be threatened with arrest or a shut off of service. Hayden warned to never give out your name, birth date, Social Security number, or answer yes to any questions asked. Hang up, take note of the phone number, and call the Sheriff’s office or someone you trust.
An alarming scam that has successfully targeted people in our community is the Grandparent/Parent scam. The caller tells the victim their loved one is in jail, and threaten you must send bail money. You may be instructed to send cash through Fed X, wire money, or purchase gift cards. These scams often involve a middle man, so there is no way to track where the money goes. Do not give them a name or any personal information what so ever. Hang up, take note of the phone number, and call the Sheriff’s office or someone you trust.
Computer fraud is another area of concern….
