Author Archives: Peggy Bishop

Trending Scams

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Knowledge is a powerful defense. Check out these trending scams

Imposter scams

“Your package was returned, and you need to reschedule your delivery”

How it works:

  1. Initial Contact: You receive a communication about an issue – it may be with a delivery, your account, a family member or a device.
  2. Deceptive instructions: You may be urged to provide information such as a code, or take an action such as provide remote access, move money to another account or digital wallet, ignore warning messages or input *72 or **21 in the phone.
  3. The scammer wins: After following the instructions, the scammer now has access to your money, and it’s unlikely you’ll see your money again.

Help protect your money – pause, verify, help prevent scams
Verify all requests for information or money. Talk to your friends and family about the tactics scammers use.

Investment Scams

“They guaranteed a quick return on the investment, and I was receiving those returns in the beginning”

How it works:

  1. Initial Contact: The scammer will reach out through social media, text or email with a unique investment opportunity or a chance to get rich quick.
  2. Deceptive instructions: You’ll be convinced to invest your money and will start to receive small returns.
  3. Fake returns: You’re then encouraged to invest larger sums of money based on the returns you are receiving but suddenly all communications stop.

Help protect yourself and your money
Always validate investment opportunities. Use caution if asked to provide personal or financial information, especially if asked to send money through digital currency or instant money transfers.

Tech support scams

“They needed remote access to remove a virus from my device”

How it works:

  1. Initial Contact: Scammers reach out, via computer pop-up or phone call, claiming there is an issue with your device.
  2. Deceptive instructions: You are instructed to provide remote access to the device and to download an app to fix the issue.
  3. Access to personal information: Once you grant remote access or download the app, the scammer has access to your personal information. They can install malware on your device and demand a payment before they give back your access.

Help protect yourself and your money
No matter the reason given, be cautious about granting device access or downloading unfamiliar apps to fix issues with your devices. Run a full system virus and spyware scan and power off the device. Read more about tech scams.

Online sales

“I thought I’d scored really hard-to-get tickets”

How it works:

  1. Initial Contact: Scammers create a fake website or post a “great deal” on social media for an item you’re had your eye on.
  2. Deceptive instructions: They ask you to pay in less common ways such as cash, gift cards or wire transfers.
  3. Pressured to act: You’ll be pressured to act quickly so you don’t miss out on the deal.

Help protect yourself and your money
Slow down and use caution if pressured to act quickly. Research the seller and products independently, check reviews for possible scam notices. Most online promotions that sounds too good to be true – typically are.

reprinted from Bank of America.

Medicare Season is Scam Season

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How It Works•
You receive a call, text, email or in-person visit from a Medicare agent or insurance provider.•You may be urged to act quickly to avoid losing your benefits, pressured to purchase a limited-time offer that promises to save you thousands of dollars or enticed with a free gift.•You could be told that Medicare is issuing new cards and needs to verify your information.•They may request sensitive information, such as your Medicare and Social Security numbers or bank and credit card information.
What You Should Know•
Criminals often use caller ID spoofing to make a call appear as if it’s coming from Medicare or a trusted source.•The scammers may sound professional, claim to represent Medicare and have some of your personal information. But in reality, they’re trying to steal your money, Medicare information or identity.•Legitimate government agencies won’t contact you to ask for your Medicare number or other personal information unless you’ve called 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227) first.•Medicare is not sending out new cards; anyone suggesting otherwise is lying to you.
What You Should Do•
Protect your information and never share your Medicare or Social Security number (or other personal information) with anyone who contacts you out of the blue by phone, text or email or who shows up at your door.•Be suspicious of unsolicited, aggressive, misleading or too-good-to-be-true offers for a new Medicare plan and don’t be rushed into making a decision. You have until Dece‍mber 7 to enroll, and Medicare doesn’t offer extra benefits for signing up early.•Beneficiaries can safely compare plans and change enrollment by going to medicare.gov or calling 8‍00-6‍33-4‍227.•Each state also has a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) that offers unbiased, one-on-one counseling to help you navigate the complexities of Medicare.•Contact the Senior Medicare Patrol in your area to report Medicare fraud or abuse and to seek assistance.
reprinted from AARP Fraud Watch Network

New Fraud Program Begins in Maine

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Did you know that 397 people in Maine filed fraud complaints for losses totaling more than $7.1 million in 2023, according to the FBI? And that’s just the ones who actually filed, so there are probably many more, and lots of them are seniors.

Now there’s a new program to help people (seniors especially) be more aware of fraud and scam “opportunities”. The Maine Rx Elder Fraud Program is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office, AARP Maine and the Maine Council for Elder Abuse Prevention. The program, which is designed to educate Mainers on common signs of scams and how to report elder fraud, will begin at Hannaford Supermarkets’ 60 in-store pharmacies across Maine. Informational brochures will be attached to prescription bags for distribution to Hannaford pharmacy customers.

The informational materials were created by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with assistance from the Maine Council for Elder Abuse Prevention. The materials include common signs of scams as well as information about the National Elder Fraud Hotline.

The scam I have noticed most frequently: “update” notices from my email provider, credit card company or phone company. Some are filled with red-flag errors, but others are pretty convincing EXCEPT they come from an obviously wrong email. Your credit card company is not going to email you from a gmail account. Make triple sure that you are dealing with the genuine company before you answer any emails.

New Ventures Maine

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New Ventures Maine, a statewide program of the University of Maine at Augusta that has helped Maine residents venture in new directions for over 40 years through tuition-free programs for career, business, and financial education, has announced its next set of fall classes and workshops. Offered at no cost to all Maine adults, the program includes in-person and online options as well as one-on-one coaching. They offer one-day programs and course-length classes that encourage and empower those thinking about making a change to take the next step towards financial security, a new career or even a new business. With topics ranging from job searches, resume strategies and money management to career choices, interviewing and building confidence, the classes and workshops are easy to enroll in and some can even be taken at your own pace. For more information about course offerings and how to sign up, as well as success stories and other resources, please visit their website.

Home Energy Assistance Program

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The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) helps qualified homeowners and renters pay for heating costs. Benefits include help paying for fuel and emergency fuel delivery. You can also qualify for energy-related repairs if you are eligible for HEAP.

Households are encouraged to apply for HEAP as early as possible. The application process involves both an application and an interview, to help determine eligibility and the level of benefit. The amount of benefit eligible households receive varies depending on household size, income and other factors.

Applying For The Program

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Eligibility

Click here to see if you meet the basic program income guidelines.

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Apply

This program will begin taking applications for the 2024-2025 season on July 22, 2024. 

Applications for the HEAP Program are handled by your local Community Action Agency and ProsperityME.   An online application portal will be coming soon!  If you would like to apply before the online application portal is available, please find your local Community Action Agency by entering your zip code in the field below or view all HEAP Agency Contacts here. 

Current Zipcode: Find My Agency

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Prepare For Your Appointment

You will need to provide copies of certain documents to apply. This list may not include everything so make sure you ask your CAA what to bring.

  • Names and social security numbers of all people living in your household.
  • Proof of gross household income for the last 30 day/1 month or 12 months. (Household income includes, but is not limited to: wages, social security, unemployment, pension, and disability payments.)
  • Proof of present address (for example, a rent receipt, lease, deed, or property tax bill).
  • Recent copies of your energy and utility bills.
  • The type of fuel used to heat your home (natural gas, heating oil, propane, wood, wood pellets, biobricks, coal, corn, kerosene or electricity).

Your application will not be processed until all of the requested documentation is provided. 

You Have Applied – Now What?

CAA Follow Up

After your appointment the CAA will review your application to determine if you are eligible for a benefit.   In most cases the, once eligibility is determined, the CAA will work directly with your fuel provider and the benefit will be paid as a credit to your account. 
 

Emergency Assistance 

More help may be available if you have less than a seven (7) day supply of heating fuel. We may also be able to help if you cannot pay your bill and your services may be disconnected. We also be able to help with past due utility bills. 

Additional Resources

If you are eligible for HEAP, you also may qualify for other programs that require HEAP eligibility:

  • If you receive residential electric service from an electric utility and you are not living in government subsidized housing, you may be eligible for assistance with your electric bills from your electric utility’s Low Income Assistance Plan (LIAP).
  • If your home is not as energy efficient as it could be, you may qualify for home weatherization improvements through our Weatherization Program.
  • If your heating system is in need of repair or replacement, you may qualify for the Central Heating Improvement Program (CHIP).

MORE INFO

Contact Information

For more information, see our related document and related links at the top of the page, download the Home Energy Assistance Program brochure , or contact:

Email Me

(877) 544-3271

Any individual may report to MaineHousing suspected errors and program abuse related to programs:

That Call That Your Bank Account Is Being Hacked? It’s Fraud

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Impostor scams were the most common form of consumer fraud in 2023, according to federal authorities. Many of these attacks involve criminals pretending to be bank fraud investigators, who first send a text questioning certain account activity. Read on to see how this plays out.
 
How It Works•
You receive a text message that appears to be from the bank you do business with, asking for confirmation that recent activity on your account was legitimate.•When you reply “no,” you receive a call, ostensibly from your bank’s “fraud investigations unit,” informing you your account is actively being hacked.•They assure you they can help protect your assets, and you comply, given that the earlier text message appeared to be from your bank and the caller shared specific information that only your bank would know.
 
What You Should Know•
Anytime you get an immediate call from your bank following a text like this, it is a fraud attempt. This is because the transaction noted in the text message isn’t identified by a human — it is identified through machine learning, algorithms, and other bank fraud controls.•It seems so real because the criminals have information about you and your account, which they may have bought from other hackers or accessed through data breaches.•When the criminals convince you there is an active attack and to move the money to protect it, they are actually siphoning those assets.•This crime can wipe out bank accounts, and because it happened through deception, the bank is not responsible for making the victim whole.
 
What You Should Do•
Do not engage with a call from your “bank” following a text questioning an account transaction.•If you are concerned, contact your bank in a way you know to be valid — using a number on a recent statement or by logging in to your online account or app access.•If this happens to you or a loved one, contact your bank immediately upon realizing it to see if they can halt the transaction.•Report it to local or federal law enforcement; even if they do not investigate, this is your proof in the event future compensation is available to victims.
reprinted from AARP Fraud Watch Network

Offers for “Free” Medical Equipment May Prove Costly

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Medicare provides millions of beneficiaries with access to needed durable medical equipment. However, when someone reaches out offering free medical equipment on behalf of Medicare, it’s often a fraud attempt.
 
How It Works•
You receive an unsolicited call or other communication from someone claiming to be a Medicare representative.•They offer you a free medical device or testing, such as a back or knee brace or DNA testing for chronic diseases.•If you decline, the caller may warn that if you don’t accept the offer, you will lose the right to receive the benefit.•The caller will ask you for your Medicare number to process the benefit.
What You Should Know•
Medicare will not reach out to you unless you have an issue that you are working through with the agency.•Only Medicare beneficiaries’ health care providers can prescribe medical equipment or testing. If someone other than your provider offers you these resources, they are trying to deceive you.•Fraud criminals who get people to accept “free” equipment or testing illegally bill Medicare for services never received, or they sell their victims’ personal information to someone who will use it to get medical care in the victim’s name. This could wreak havoc on your Medicare records.
What You Should Do•
If someone contacts you claiming to be from Medicare and offering you free medical equipment or testing, disengage. It is fraudulent.•If you need medical equipment or a prescription, talk to your doctor.•Provide your Medicare number only to trusted, personal health care providers and only when necessary.•Carefully review your Medicare Summary Notice or Explanation of Benefits for any unexpected services, tests or equipment.•Contact your provider if you see unexpected charges. If you suspect fraud, call 8‍00-ME‍DICARE (80‍0-63‍3-42‍27) to report it.
reprinted from AARP Fraud Watch Network

Summer Travel Scams

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How It Works•
You stumble onto a travel booking site that offers exclusive vacation deals, often for far below market value.•You find a posting for a luxurious vacation rental listing at a lower-than-expected price.•Your rental car search lands you on what appears to be the jackpot — a site offering fantastic deals.•You’re using a popular vacation rental app, and the host asks you to pay upfront and through a means that is off the platform.
What You Should Know•
Criminals create bogus travel sites that mimic legitimate ones and often appear toward the top of your search because they’ve bought paid promotions.•Scammers also use fake vacation rental listings that are often stolen from real listings and then altered. An unusually low price could be a sign that a listing is not legitimate.•Shady rental car sites may look like those of real companies, but the deals are fake. The thieves who set them up will simply take your money and then disappear.•A host who asks you to pay for your rental home outside of the app is not someone you want to do business with.
What You Should Do•
Be skeptical of any pitch that offers steep discounts on travel and accommodations.•Vet travel reservation sites before you book. Conduct a web search on the company name (along with the word “scam” or “complaint” or “review”) to read about other people’s experiences.•When renting a car online, type in the web address rather than using a search engine. This will reduce the chance of accidentally landing on a look-alike site.•Pay for travel reservations and bookings with a credit card, which offers greater protection than other forms of payment.•When using a vacation rental app, be suspicious if the host wants you to pay off-platform. For example, Airbnb only allows this for certain fees (such as local taxes), and VRBO states that payments outside its checkout form are not eligible for its “Book with Confidence” guarantee.
 
reprinted from AARP Fraud Watch Network
 

Tech Support Scams

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Imagine you’re browsing the internet when out of nowhere, a message pops up accompanied by a blaring sound warning you that your device is infected with a virus. This happened to Helen, a retiree in her 80s. Panicked by the warning, she followed on-screen instructions and phoned the tech support number provided. The criminals pretending to be tech support inevitably stole nearly all of her life savings.
 
Sadly, Helen’s story is far too common. This tech support scam has been around a long time, but technological advances and new twists have allowed the crime to flourish. Here’s what to know to protect yourself and your loved ones.
How It Works•
A pop-up notice, often accompanied by a blaring siren-like sound, claims there’s something wrong with your device.•The maddening sound doesn’t stop, and the page won’t close.•The pop-up includes a toll-free number, which it claims will connect you to tech support associated with a big name such as Microsoft or Norton.•Tech support impostors say they require remote access to the device to detect the problems.•That’s where things can go very wrong.
What You Should Know•
A version of this fraud attack convinces the target to pay to fix the problem and pay more to enroll in a nonexistent support plan.•In a newer twist, criminals use remote access to plant login-stealing malware designed to expose your usernames and passwords to all of your accounts, including financial ones.•More complex fraud attacks begin with tech support, then evolve into bank and government impersonation schemes that end with criminals wiping out the victim’s financial accounts.
What You Should Do•
If this happens to you or a loved one, contact your financial institution immediately to see if it can stop the flow of funds, then report the crime to the police so you have a record of it in case there is restitution.•If you get a pop-up that won’t close, shut down your device (on a laptop, hold the power button down until the computer shuts off).•When prompted to update your operating systems and antivirus software, do it right away, or better yet, set them to automatically update. These updates may address vulnerabilities.•If you suspect an issue with your device, take it to a big-box store that offers tech support or to a trusted technician.

reprinted from AARP Fraud Watch Network.
 

How to Avoid Moving Scams

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Summer is the prime season for moving. Whether you’re relocating across the country for work, downsizing to a new home or sending a kid off to college, choosing the right moving company should be at the top of your to-do list.
 
Placing your trust in a company to transport your belongings safely and securely at the agreed-upon price is a significant commitment, and unfortunately, scammers often exploit the stress and anxiety of moving.
 
Here’s what to know to protect you and your possessions from a costly moving scam.
How It Works•
You see enticing ads for cheap moving options online or in print.•The “affordable” mover offers you an estimate by phone without coming to assess the work effort.•They might demand a hefty deposit, or even full payment, in advance.•The mover may ask you to sign a blank or incomplete form, saying they’ll fill it in later.
What You Should Know•
Moving scams are committed by rogue operators that exist primarily online.•With your deposit in hand, the “movers” may simply not show up at the appointed time and place.•Or they’ll try to change the deal at the last minute, jacking up the price or adding fees, which can double the cost of your move.•In the worst case, the movers might disappear with your stuff, abandon it in a storage facility or refuse to deliver unless you fork over more money, a scenario known as a “hostage load.
”What You Should Do•
Get referrals from relatives, friends or neighbors who have moved recently or from real estate agents.•Research companies you are considering. Look up their Better Business Bureau profiles, and use the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s database to review an interstate mover’s registration status and complaint history.•Get everything in writing — including estimates. If there are any changes, insist on a revised estimate before any packing or loading begins.•Use a credit card when paying so you have its protection in the event of a dispute.
 Reprinted from AARP Fraud Watch Network