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This article discusses Portland's potential use of opioid settlement funds (approximately $750,000 received plus $235,000 annually) to address public health issues, including a proposed "syringe buyback" pilot program that would pay drug users five cents per used syringe returned to the exchange. The city is considering this initiative alongside other harm reduction strategies to address the problem of improperly discarded syringes littering Portland streets, which has increased since 2022 when Maine's CDC rule change allowed distribution of up to 100 syringes per client without requiring a returned used syringe. This article is not about elder fraud and does not belong in the Elderus database.

This article is not relevant to elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. It covers Hunter Biden's tax felony plea, Maine congressional politics, and solar energy development disputes. It does not contain information about fraud targeting seniors or elder-related crimes and should not be included in the Elderus database.

A new brochure created by the U.S. Attorney's Office and non-profit partners will be distributed at Maine pharmacies to help prevent elder fraud, following reports that 397 Maine residents aged 60+ lost over $7.1 million to scams in the previous year. The brochure educates seniors about common fraud tactics—including gift card/wire transfer demands, urgency pressure, and fake computer infection pop-ups—and provides victim support resources. Officials note that the reported losses likely represent only a fraction of actual fraud cases, as many incidents go unreported.

On September 5, 2024, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maine, AARP Maine, and the Maine Council for Elder Abuse Prevention launched the Maine Rx Elder Fraud Program, which will distribute educational brochures about common scams through Hannaford Supermarkets' 60 in-store pharmacies across the state. The initiative responds to a growing national problem: in 2023, over 101,000 Americans aged 60+ lost $3.4 billion to fraud, including 397 Mainers who reported losses exceeding $7.1 million, with many cases going unreported due to embarrassment and reluctance

The Maine U.S. Attorney's Office launched the Maine Rx Elder Fraud Program, a collaboration with AARP Maine and the Maine Council for Elder Abuse Prevention, which distributes educational brochures about scam prevention through prescription bags at 60 Hannaford pharmacies across the state. The initiative targets elderly Mainers because nearly 9 in 10 people over 65 have regular prescriptions, making pharmacies an ideal venue for fraud awareness; in 2023 alone, 397 elderly Mainers reported fraud losses totaling over $7.1 million, part of a national trend where seniors lost $3.4 billion to scams.

Mainers unknowingly purchased stolen vehicles from thieves, including a case where a buyer acquired two stolen GMC pickup trucks from Texas for $80,000 each and another where an elderly woman was manipulated into titling a stolen Aston Martin. Criminals used "cloned vehicles" by grinding off original VIN numbers and replacing them with salvage yard numbers to disguise the thefts, with an investigation revealing a large stolen vehicle ring involving unlicensed online dealers. The Secretary of State's Office recommends consumers obtain vehicle history reports and research state-specific laws before purchasing used vehicles to protect themselves from such fraud.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for Maine, in partnership with AARP Maine and the Maine Council for Elder Abuse Prevention, launched the Maine Rx Elder Fraud Program, an educational initiative that will distribute anti-fraud informational brochures through Hannaford Supermarkets' 60 in-state pharmacies to reach older customers and caregivers. The program addresses a significant problem: in the prior year, 397 Mainers aged 60+ filed fraud complaints totaling $7.1 million in losses, reflecting a national trend in which over 101,000 Americans over 60 were defrauded of $3.4 billion. The materials

The U.S. Attorney's Office for Maine launched the Maine Rx Elder Fraud Program, distributing informational brochures through prescription bags at Hannaford's 60 in-state pharmacies to educate seniors about common scams and the National Elder Fraud Hotline. The initiative leverages pharmacists' trusted position and regular contact with older customers—approximately nine of ten people over 65 have regular prescriptions—to reach vulnerable populations and reduce fraud incidents in Maine, where residents lost over $7.1 million to fraud last year.

In 2023, 397 Maine residents filed fraud complaints totaling $7.1 million in losses, prompting the U.S. Attorney's Office to launch the Maine Rx Elder Fraud Program in September. The initiative distributes informational brochures through Hannaford pharmacy prescription bags at 60 locations statewide to educate older Mainers about common scam signs and reporting procedures, leveraging pharmacists' trusted relationships with customers. Nationally, over 101,000 Americans aged 60 and older lost $3.4 billion to fraud in 2023.

A partnership between Maine's U.S. attorney, AARP Maine, Hannaford, and the Maine Council for Elder Abuse Prevention launched a pilot initiative to combat elder fraud by distributing informational brochures about recognizing and reporting scams through pharmacy prescription bags at Hannaford stores statewide. Nearly 400 Mainers over age 60 filed fraud complaints last year reporting losses of approximately $7.1 million, with state officials noting that many incidents go unreported due to victim embarrassment and fear of competency being questioned. The educational materials highlight common scam tactics such as pressure for quick action and victim isolation, and encourage reporting to law enforcement to help identify perpetrators and potentially recover

This article discusses online dating safety in Illinois, ranking the state 30th for safety among U.S. states, primarily due to high STD rates of 839.2 per 100,000 people annually. The piece mentions various online dating risks including romance scams, catfishing, and dishonest actors, while noting that Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire are the safest states for online dating, whereas Nevada, Alaska, and Georgia pose the greatest risks.

A Privacy Journal study ranked Georgia as the third most dangerous state for online dating, scoring 43.16 based on six risk factors including romance scams, identity theft, fraud, registered sex offenders, STD prevalence, and violent crime. Georgia performed particularly poorly in identity theft and fraud cases, with 358 per 100,000 residents experiencing identity theft annually and 470 per 100,000 falling victim to other types of fraud, though it had the fourth-lowest rate of romance scams. Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire were identified as the safest states for online dating.

Aroostook County, Maine has experienced an increase in online scams using fake missing person posts to manipulate people into sending money, with scammers mimicking real emergencies like missing children or natural disasters. Red flags include unfamiliar names, photos from non-local locations, repeated posts asking for donations across multiple platforms, misspellings, disabled comments, and lack of official law enforcement sources. Police recommend verifying posts by contacting local law enforcement directly, checking with Facebook group administrators, and ensuring legitimate posts come from official sources like NCMEC or credible news outlets with specific details about the missing person.

A study by PrivacyJournal.net ranked Nevada as the most dangerous state for online dating, based on reported incidents of romance scams, fraud, identity theft, and violent crime per 100,000 residents. Nevada ranked second nationally for romance scam reports and third for fraud reports, with Las Vegas contributing significantly to these numbers. The article advises online daters to take common sense precautions, noting that Vermont and Maine are the safest states for online dating.

Fraud cases are surging across financial institutions, with Kennebec Savings Bank in Maine tripling its fraud cases between 2021 and 2023 and preventing over $430,000 in losses in 2023 alone. Scammers increasingly use sophisticated social engineering tactics—including impersonation, phone number spoofing, and AI-generated content—to manipulate victims into voluntarily transferring funds, making it difficult for banks to prevent losses even with strong security measures. The FTC reported a 14% increase in fraud losses in 2023, with imposter scams accounting for nearly $2.7 billion of the over $10 billion in total annual frau

Scammers in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts are exploiting the July 2024 Microsoft outage (caused by a CrowdStrike software update affecting 8.5 million Windows machines) through phishing emails and text messages that either request personal information or send malware-infected files under the guise of computer fixes. Residents are advised to rely on official sources for information, verify email addresses and links carefully, and check on elderly relatives, as the legitimate fix was deployed automatically without user interaction needed.

Two individuals, Kingsley Inegbedion and Efemena Igbe, were indicted on 16 counts of money laundering and internet fraud for operating romance scams and business email compromise schemes that defrauded American citizens of approximately $1.5 million between April 2020 and May 2023. The defendants posed as legitimate businesses, directed victims to wire money into fraudulent accounts at major banks, and quickly distributed the funds to conceal the scheme; Igbe fled to Nigeria before facing charges while Inegbedion remained to defend himself. The FBI is seeking full restitution and forfeiture of all property obtained through the fraud.

Elder fraud losses in the Boston FBI Division (Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island) totaled $89.6 million across 2,689 victims in 2023, with national losses reaching $1.6 billion from January to May 2024—a significant increase from the prior year. The most common scams targeting seniors include tech support, romance, investment, and government impersonation schemes, with investment scams involving cryptocurrency showing a particularly sharp rise of 419% in losses between 2021-2023. The FBI emphasizes that actual losses are likely higher due to underreporting and recommends elders be cautious of unsolicited contact, resist pressure

Elder fraud in the New England region resulted in $89.6 million in reported losses across Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island in 2023, with Massachusetts accounting for $63.7 million of that total, though the FBI estimates actual losses are significantly higher due to underreporting. The FBI-Boston reports a double-digit increase in financial fraud targeting adults over 60, with investment scams showing the sharpest growth (victimization up 209% and losses up 419% from 2021-2023), largely driven by cryptocurrency schemes, alongside common scams including tech support, romance, and government impersonation fraud. The FBI recommends elderly individuals and their families be

In 2023, adults aged 50 and older lost at least $28 billion to fraud according to FTC data. AARP Maine hosted an educational event featuring expert panelists to discuss the prevalence of financial elder abuse, methods to identify it, and resources for seeking help. The free public program aired from Husson University and included speakers specializing in elder law, justice advocacy, and fraud prevention.

In Maine, nearly 400 seniors over age 60 lost a combined $7.1 million to elder fraud last year, with the FBI attributing the rise to increased romance and investment scams using hard-to-trace payment methods like cryptocurrency. To protect themselves, seniors should be cautious of unsolicited communications, resist pressure to act quickly, never share personal information with unverified sources, and recognize gift cards and bitcoin requests as red flags. Experts note that actual victim numbers are likely higher due to underreporting driven by fear and embarrassment.

Seniors are increasingly targeted by scammers using phone calls impersonating banks or relatives to steal personal information and money. According to FBI data, older Americans lost $1.6 billion to fraud from January-May 2024, with Maine victims alone losing $7.2 million in 2023 (397 cases averaging $18,040 per victim). Experts recommend pausing to verify unexpected urgent calls through known phone numbers and educating older adults about common scams, with organizations like Kennebunk Savings partnering with the Southern Maine Agency on Aging to provide fraud prevention resources and support.

Maine seniors lost $7.1 million to elder fraud in the past year, with nearly 400 victims over age 60 falling prey to scams including romance and investment schemes often involving cryptocurrency. The FBI reports a double-digit increase in financial scams across New England, with regional losses reaching $1.6 billion between January and May of this year. Victims are advised to avoid unsolicited communications, resist pressure to act quickly, never share personal information with unverified sources, and recognize gift cards and cryptocurrency payments as red flags, while authorities emphasize that actual victim numbers are likely higher due to underreporting.

The FBI is warning about increasing elder fraud targeting Americans over 60, noting a double-digit increase in financial fraud cases. From January to May 2024, older Americans lost $1.6 billion to fraud—nearly $300 million more than the same period in 2023—with Maine victims alone reporting $7.1 million in losses across 397 cases in 2023.

Romance scams are affecting Maine residents at an increasing rate, with scammers using social media and dating sites to build fake relationships and convince victims to send money for plane tickets or other expenses that never materialize. According to the Federal Trade Commission, nearly 70,000 people reported romance scams in 2022, losing over $1 billion with a median loss of $4,400 per victim. Experts advise potential victims to watch for red flags such as requests for money, isolation from friends and family, and broken promises to meet in person, and emphasize that prevention through awareness is more effective than law enforcement recovery efforts.

A Colorado woman who co-owned a jewelry store was defrauded of over $700,000 over two years after meeting a man on Instagram who posed as a legitimate gold jewelry seller; she discovered the items she purchased were cheap silver worth approximately $4 each made to look like gold. After traveling to India to confront the scammers, she contacted authorities, and while one man involved in creating fraudulent authenticity documents was arrested, the father-and-son perpetrators remained at large as of June 2024.

A Privacy Journal study analyzing FBI, FTC, CDC, and Census Bureau data ranked U.S. states by online dating safety, identifying Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire as safest and Nevada, Alaska, and Georgia as most dangerous based on rates of violence, STIs, romance scams, identity theft, and registered sex offenders per 100,000 people. The research highlights that romance scams pose significant fraud risks to online daters, with victims targeted for cash or personal information used for identity theft, and recommends safety precautions including refusing money requests, meeting in public places, and avoiding sharing private information with unvetted contacts.

A Privacy Journal study analyzing FBI, FTC, and CDC data ranked states by online dating safety risks, including romance scams, identity theft, STIs, violent crime, and registered sex offenders per 100,000 people. South Carolina ranked among the 10 most dangerous states for online dating, alongside Nevada, Alaska, Georgia, and Florida, while Vermont and Maine were identified as safest. The study notes that while dating apps facilitate connections (with 1 in 4 couples meeting online), users should avoid money requests, meet in public locations, and refrain from sharing personal information until after meeting someone in person.

Senators Collins and Sinema introduced a bipartisan resolution designating May 15 as "National Senior Fraud Awareness Day," which passed unanimously, highlighting that seniors lost over $3.4 billion to fraud in 2023—an 11% increase from 2022. A new phone scam targeting Maine residents involves fraudsters impersonating U.S. Marshals through spoofed phone numbers, demanding immediate payment of fines or promising money transfers, using publicly available personal information to appear credible. Federal officials advise seniors never to provide financial information to unknown callers and to report suspected scams to the FBI and FTC.

A 28-year-old Sydney woman named Monica discovered that her photos from her public Instagram account had been used to create a fake Tinder dating profile under the name "Tayla," which remained active for approximately six months and matched with multiple users. Monica reported the fraudulent account to Tinder and sought help from friends and online safety groups, though the fake profile persisted despite multiple removal requests, leaving her concerned about potential romance scams or real-life encounters with those who had matched with the imposter account. The incident highlights the risks of maintaining public social media profiles and demonstrates how easily personal images can be misappropriated for dating app fraud schemes.

Fraudsters are impersonating U.S. Marshals and federal officials by spoofing their phone numbers to target Maine residents, claiming they must pay fines to avoid arrest or promising payments that require upfront fees. The scammers use convincing tactics such as publicly available personal information, fake badges, and case numbers to appear credible. Victims are urged to report suspected scams to the FBI or FTC, and to avoid taking immediate action on unsolicited calls demanding payment or personal information.

A study of 644 older adults in the Chicago area found that 16.4% were vulnerable to government imposter scams, falling for a fictitious Social Security and Medicare benefits fraud attempt by providing personal information or Social Security numbers, while an additional 15.1% engaged but remained skeptical. The research, published in JAMA Network Open, revealed that vulnerability to fraud affects many seniors regardless of cognitive status, though those with lower financial literacy and scam awareness were most susceptible. The findings underscore that elder fraud poses significant public health and economic threats, with victimization potentially leading to serious consequences including hospitalization and depression.

According to the FBI's 2023 Elder Fraud Report, losses reported by victims over age 60 reached $3.4 billion (up 11% from 2022), with Maine alone reporting nearly 400 complaints totaling over $7 million. The most common scams targeting seniors involve home construction, impersonation of family or government, and appliance or auto sales, with victims targeted for their savings, good credit, and trusting nature. Maine's Attorney General recommends protecting oneself by researching contractors, limiting personal information on social media, freezing credit reports with all three agencies, and promptly reporting scams to law enforcement and banks to prevent fund transfers.

**Scam Type:** Phone impersonation fraud and account compromise **Victim:** Peter Levy, 68-year-old BBC Look North presenter **Details:** In February, Levy lost approximately half his life savings after scammers called pretending to be his bank's fraud department, convincing him to log into his account during a supposed security check. Though some money was recovered, the case remained unresolved months later, causing significant emotional distress. Levy publicly warned against using identical passwords across accounts and cautioned viewers about fraudulent payment app scanners in public car parks.

At least 101,000 Americans ages 60 and older lost an average of $33,915 each to digital fraud in 2023, totaling approximately $3.4 billion in losses, according to FBI data. Cryptocurrency scams accounted for nearly 40% of total losses ($1.33 billion), often preceded by romance or confidence schemes, while call center and tech support scams remained the most common complaint type. Some victims reported devastating consequences including selling homes, depleting retirement accounts, and in severe cases, suicide due to financial losses and shame.

Scammers stole $3.4 billion from Americans over 60 last year, an 11% increase, with nearly 400 Maine victims losing approximately $7.1 million combined. Tech support scams impersonating companies like Microsoft topped the list of fraud schemes targeting seniors nationwide. Experts believe actual losses are significantly higher due to underreporting, as many victims are embarrassed to come forward, and victims are encouraged to contact family, friends, or law enforcement to prevent further victimization.

Former Army specialist Sanda G. Frimpong was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution for laundering over $350,000 obtained through romance scams targeting vulnerable victims including seniors and military veterans. Frimpong and at least three conspirators executed multiple scams by impersonating romantic interests, diplomats, and military personnel via encrypted messaging apps, and also fraudulently obtained CARES Act funds and unemployment benefits using stolen identities across multiple states. The money was laundered through various banking systems, across state lines, and through contacts in Ghana while Frimpong remained on active duty at Fort Liberty, North Carolina.

A 37-year-old civil engineer discovered that fraudsters had stolen his identity and opened two unauthorized HSBC accounts in his name—a credit card with £12,000+ in charges and a current account with a £5,000 overdraft—despite never banking with HSBC. He suspects the thieves accessed his personal information by breaking into his letterbox to intercept account opening documents and cards, resulting in his credit score dropping over 300 points; after 14 weeks of poor resolution efforts from HSBC, he remained liable for approximately £17,000 in fraudulent debt.

A PrivacyJournal study ranking online dating safety across U.S. states found Nevada, Georgia, and Alaska to be the most dangerous for romance scams and related fraud, while Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine emerged as the safest. Texas ranked 43rd out of 50 states, placing it in the top 10 most dangerous, based on per capita metrics including reported romance scams, identity theft, fraud, sex offenders, and STD cases.

MoneyGeek published expert guidance from University of Maine social work professor Lenard Kaye on two topics affecting seniors: protecting loved ones from elder financial fraud and navigating the process of choosing and paying for senior care. The articles draw on Kaye's professional expertise as director of the Center on Aging to provide practical information for families managing financial and care decisions for older adults.

Maine officials are warning of scams targeting pharmacy benefits in the aftermath of a February cyberattack on Change Healthcare that disrupted prescription services for MaineCare beneficiaries and others. Scammers are impersonating pharmacy and hospital officials to solicit personal information and credit card numbers from patients exploiting the confusion from the outage. Authorities advise that legitimate organizations will never request credit card information over the phone and recommend hanging up and calling back directly to verify any claims.

Fraud losses among Maine seniors have surged dramatically, increasing from $2 million in 2021 to $12.7 million in 2022, with tech support scams being among the most common threats to the state's aging population. One Maine senior fell victim to a tech support imposter scam involving malicious popups claiming she had a virus, which prompted her to call a fraudulent number where scammers attempted to access her savings account information. Experts emphasize that education and awareness are critical to protecting Maine's elderly residents, who represent the nation's oldest state population and face heightened vulnerability to fraud schemes.

Maine seniors lost $12.7 million to fraud in 2022, a dramatic increase from $2 million in 2021, according to FBI data. One victim fell prey to a tech support scam involving fake virus warning popups that prompted her to call scammers who attempted to access her savings account information. Experts emphasize that education and community awareness are critical tools in combating fraud targeting Maine's elderly population, the oldest in the nation.

Maine seniors lost $12.7 million to fraud in 2022, a dramatic increase from $2 million in 2021, with victims over 60 nationwide experiencing skyrocketing losses according to FBI data. One Maine senior fell victim to a tech support scam involving deceptive popups claiming she had a virus and requesting access to her savings account information. Experts emphasize that education and awareness are critical to protecting Maine's aging population, the oldest in the nation, from increasingly prevalent fraud schemes.

The 2024 BBB Scam Tracker Risk Report found that investment and cryptocurrency scams remained the highest-risk scam type, with over 80% of victims reporting losses averaging $5,000, while romance/friendship scams rose to third place with the highest median loss of $6,099. Financial grooming scams—where perpetrators build relationships with targets over weeks or months before encouraging investment—accounted for significant losses, with the overall reported median dollar loss rising 30% from 2023 to 2024. Seniors age 65+ experienced the highest median losses ($160), and victims engaged via social media were more likely to lose money, with nearly 30% reporting

According to Chainalysis research, cryptocurrency crime declined significantly in 2023, with illicit activity dropping from $39.6 billion in 2022 to $24.2 billion, driven by a 29.2% decrease in crypto scams and a 54.3% drop in hacking losses. Scammers increasingly adopted romance scam tactics to target individuals with fraudulent investment schemes, and the decline in illicit activity correlated with reduced market enthusiasm for cryptocurrency. While scams and hacks fell, ransomware attacks and darknet market activity rose in 2023, with stablecoins becoming the dominant asset for criminals, surpassing Bitcoin.

The Blackcat ransomware group attacked UnitedHealth Group's Change Healthcare division, disrupting prescription processing systems nationwide and preventing pharmacies from verifying insurance coverage. The cyberattack employed Blackcat's multiple extortion model, stealing sensitive data while encrypting systems and demanding ransom in exchange for decryption and non-publication of stolen information. The disruption affected patient access to medications, with Change Healthcare working to restore systems using backup processes while the incident remained unresolved.

A Montreal woman lost $1,800 after being scammed by someone who had hacked her friend's Facebook account and posed as that person to sell fake Taylor Swift Eras Tour tickets to her and her colleagues. The scammer, posing as the hacked account owner, initially sold four tickets at $400 each, then requested an additional $200 in "name change fees" before disappearing. Facebook had been notified of the hacked account approximately one week prior but refused to remove the fraudulent post, which remained active until after the Gazette flagged it as a scam.

Kenyan police offered a 1 million shilling ($7,700) reward for information leading to the arrest of suspected serial killer Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, who escaped from custody over a year ago despite being the prime suspect in the murders of over 40 women whose bodies were found in a Nairobi quarry. Khalusha's escape from a high-security police station in August 2024, along with his continued evasion, has sparked public outrage and criticism of police inaction, with activists and the public questioning how such a high-profile suspect remained at large and how officers failed to detect the bodies being dumped near a police station. Several police officers

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has launched a consultation with retail banks to develop a framework for determining shared responsibility when customers suffer losses from authorized payment scams. The framework aims to clarify liability in cases where customers are deceived into authorizing transactions (such as romance scams), distinguishing them from unauthorized transactions where banks bear full responsibility, and will assess both banks' anti-scam measures and customers' diligence in preventing fraud.