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Somerset County is hosting free one-hour fraud awareness workshops throughout October in partnership with AARP and local law enforcement to combat elder fraud, which costs Mainers millions annually. Maine residents over 65 lost nearly $13 million to fraud last year, with common scams including fraudulent crowdfunding pages like GoFundMe; the workshops will teach residents to identify threats, report crimes immediately, and seek help.

The FBI Boston is warning of an increase in "gold bar courier scams" targeting older adults, in which victims are pressured to purchase large sums of gold bars or cash that are then picked up by couriers working with scammers. From 2023 to May 2025, the FBI documented 103 cases in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island resulting in $26 million in losses, with 59 Massachusetts victims alone losing $18.6 million. The scams typically involve three methods: grandparent scams, government impersonation, and tech support scams, all designed to pressure victims into quickly liquidating assets before they can contact family members.

An elderly man in Sheffield lost £6,000 in a courier fraud scam in September after fraudsters impersonated police detectives, claimed his credit card had been compromised, and convinced him to withdraw cash under the pretense of checking for counterfeit notes. The scammers exploited a technique where they remained on the line after the victim attempted to call 999, redirecting him back to them when he called again, ultimately convincing him to hand over the money to a courier. South Yorkshire Police warned vulnerable elderly people and their families to verify any suspicious calls by using a different phone or waiting 20-30 minutes before calling back, and reminded the public that police and banks never request financial details

Singapore reported S$456 million in fraud losses during the first half of 2025, a decline from the previous year, though cryptocurrency scams remained a significant concern accounting for S$81.6 million (18% of total losses), with Tether, Bitcoin, and Ethereum being the primary targets. Victims were predominantly aged 30-49 and fell prey to investment scams, job fraud, and phishing schemes, while authorities recovered S$56.7 million in fraudulent funds and prevented S$179 million in potential losses through collaborative efforts.

Maine Credit Unions released a collaborative educational video warning residents—particularly older adults—about rising fraud, featuring experts from the Maine Attorney General's Office, State Police, and other agencies. Recent FTC data shows that reports of adults over 60 losing $10,000 or more to impersonation scams quadrupled between 2020-2024, with many cases going unreported. The video aims to equip Mainers with practical knowledge to identify and prevent scams before they cause financial and emotional harm.

Maine Credit Unions released a collaborative fraud awareness video featuring state experts including the Maine Attorney General and state police to educate older adults about recognizing and preventing scams. Recent Federal Trade Commission data shows that fraud losses among adults over 60 have surged dramatically between 2020-2024, with reports of losses exceeding $10,000 quadrupling and cases above $100,000 increasing significantly, though actual losses are likely higher due to underreporting. The video is being distributed free to cable access stations and online as a public service to help Mainers identify and stop fraudsters before becoming victims.

A 74-year-old woman named Bridget fell victim to a "letterbox scam" in May after seeing a fake "hacked" warning on her computer and calling a fraudulent support number. A scammer posing as "Peter" convinced her over hours of phone calls that her bank cards were compromised and persuaded her to place them in an envelope—an elaborate social engineering scheme that exploited her trust. The suspects remained at large as this marked a new variation of cyber fraud, with such crimes being reported every six minutes.

The FBI warned of an uptick in scams where fraudsters impersonate government agencies and law enforcement, using threatening language and demanding payment via money, gift cards, or Bitcoin while threatening arrest. In 2024, New England reported nearly 780 such complaints totaling approximately $13 million in losses, with Maine alone experiencing 98 victims who lost over $1.6 million. The FBI reminds the public that legitimate law enforcement agencies will never contact individuals by phone, email, or text to demand payment.

Maine's Kennebunk Police Department has hired Officer Candice Seomoni as the state's first dedicated elder justice investigator to research and investigate crimes against elderly residents. Seomoni reports that financial crimes are the most common abuse cases, with over 85% perpetrated by someone the victim knows and trusts, and she is already working on nearly a dozen cases while partnering with law enforcement across Maine to train officers on combating elder fraud and abuse.

Maine secured a federal grant to establish the state's first elder justice investigator position, a two-year pilot program to combat the rising problem of elder fraud and abuse. According to the FBI, one in ten seniors becomes a victim of elder crime, though most cases go unreported to police. Officer Candace Simeone now leads this initiative, noting that over 85% of elder abuse suspects are known to the victim, making these cases particularly challenging to investigate.

This BBC documentary excerpt describes a tragic case involving a 17-year-old boy named Vlad who died by suicide after being recruited by an online pro-suicide group that operated secretly like a cult. The group encouraged self-harm rather than providing the help Vlad needed, and despite authorities' awareness of the group, it remained operational. The documentary features Vlad's devastated family members reflecting on losing their son and brother to online radicalization and exploitation. **Note:** While this content involves internet-facilitated harm, it falls outside the typical scope of elder fraud. This case involves youth exploitation and online grooming toward self-harm rather than financial scams targeting older adults.

Maine residents lost $31 million to cybercrime and scams in 2024, a 65% increase from $19 million in 2023, according to FBI data. Adults aged 60 and older accounted for $13 million (40%) of these losses, with tech support scams, government impersonation, and investment fraud being the primary threats to this age group. The FBI recommends reporting wire transfer fraud within 72 hours through IC3.gov to trigger a financial fraud response.

A Toronto woman received an unsolicited text message from her ride-share driver containing a transcription of a private conversation she had with friends during an 8-minute Lyft ride, causing her significant distress and feeling of being stalked. When she contacted the driver through the platform, Lyft provided inconsistent explanations—first claiming the recording was part of a pilot project, then blaming the driver for unauthorized recording—and the company's investigation remained unresolved. The incident raises concerns about passenger privacy and the vulnerability of ride-share systems that use masked phone numbers for communication between drivers and riders.

Americans lost a record $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, a 25% increase from $10 billion in 2023, according to the FTC's annual report. While the number of fraud reports remained stable at 3.7 million, the percentage of reports resulting in actual financial loss increased from 27% to 38%, and median losses per victim rose significantly since 2020. The rise in fraud losses is attributed partly to AI-enabled scams, with government imposter scams, online shopping fraud, and email-based schemes being particularly prevalent, though notably young people are now losing more money than senior citizens.

Financial losses from scams in Maine are rising significantly, with scammers employing increasingly sophisticated and relentless tactics that have intensified since the pandemic, according to AARP Maine experts. Common scam types affecting Maine residents include door-to-door scams and romance scams, among others, and anyone can become a victim regardless of demographics. Experts emphasize that knowledge and vigilance are critical to protecting oneself from these evolving fraud schemes.

Maine State Police report a rising trend of scams targeting senior citizens, particularly courier impersonation schemes where fraudsters pose as delivery drivers to collect money directly from victims' homes, and grandparent scams involving fake relatives requesting funds via wire transfer or mail. Law enforcement and organizations like the Eastern Area Agency on Aging are urging seniors to stay vigilant and analyze suspicious situations carefully, as these evolving scams exploit seniors' perceived lack of technological knowledge.

Scammers hacked into Jen Blakey's Facebook account and posted a fraudulent fundraising message claiming her sister-in-law had stage 4 lung cancer and was selling high-value items like cars and tractors. The fake post remained visible for weeks, resulting in at least two of her friends losing money ($500 and $400 respectively) before being removed, and Blakey was unable to create a new account to warn others due to Facebook's account suspension policies.

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens warned customers about fraudulent ticket resales for their Gardens Aglow event. Scammers were selling counterfeit tickets through resellers and social media, so the gardens advised purchasers to buy tickets only directly from the botanical gardens or their authorized affiliates such as local inns and hotels.

The Maine Turnpike Authority (MTA) has reported increased phishing scams via text messages, where scammers impersonate the MTA and request payment for alleged unpaid tolls. The MTA clarifies that they do not use text messages to collect toll payments and only notify violators through official mail. Recipients of such texts should recognize them as scams and avoid responding or providing payment information.

The US Attorney's office in Maine launched a new initiative to combat elder fraud, following FBI reports that 397 Maine residents aged 60 or older filed complaints reporting losses exceeding $7 million, with experts noting the actual number of victims is likely much higher due to underreporting. The program distributes informational brochures through pharmacy prescription bags statewide to educate older adults about common scam warning signs and how to report elder fraud, recognizing that sophisticated criminal networks conduct ongoing attacks against vulnerable populations.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Maine announced the Maine RX Elder Fraud Program, an initiative to combat elder fraud by distributing informational brochures at 60 Hanford pharmacy locations across the state. The brochures, attached to prescription drug bags, educate seniors on recognizing common scams and reporting fraud, with the program beginning this month. According to the FBI, Maine residents filed 397 elder fraud complaints in the previous year, resulting in losses exceeding $7.1 million.

The Maine RX Elder Fraud Program, a partnership between Hannaford pharmacies, the U.S. Attorney's Office, AARP, and the Maine Council for Elder Abuse, launched an educational initiative distributing informational brochures about elder fraud prevention in prescription bags starting this month. The effort aims to reach older Mainers with awareness about common scams and 10 protective strategies, following data showing that in the prior year, 397 Maine residents aged 60+ filed fraud complaints for losses totaling over $7.1 million, part of a national trend affecting more than 101,000 seniors defrauded of $3.4 billion.