Bangor Police Say Don't Be Fooled by Fake Cops Calling For Money

Bangor Police say residents have reported scam callers posing as Maine law enforcement and demanding money.

A Scam That's Been Around for Years is Getting New Life

It's one of the oldie-but-still works type scams. An age-old scam is circulating again and several local people say they have been targeted as potential victims. Sergeant Jason McAmbley says two people from Bangor have told authorities that they received phone calls from someone who claimed to be a sheriff's deputy. The fake deputy told the potential victims that they had missed a court date and now had warrants out for their arrest unless they wanted to pay a portion of the fines through online transactions.

Bangor Police Say This Type of Call is Never Genuine

McAmbley assures people that no member of law enforcement will ever demand that you pay a fine on a warrant directly to them, or to the agency they work for.

The legal system is a firm believer in paperwork, especially receipts.

He advises anyone who gets a call of this kind to hang up. If they're still feeling anxious about whether there may be some truth to the call, they can call their local court clerk's office or the police and they can help determine whether it was a scam, which it always is.

Know the Warning Signs and How to Protect Yourself

The Federal Trade Commission has several tips on how to avoid falling victim to a phone scam.

Never give your financial or personal information to someone calling you 'out of the blue.' If you didn't expect it, chances are excellent that it's not genuine.
Don't give in to the caller's pressure to act immediately.
Never trust any caller who wants you to pay by gift card, cryptocurrency, or by depositing a check and sending the money back to someone.
Before you do anything, stop and talk to someone you trust, like an actual member of law enforcement.

And always remember, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Ranking States with Most Online Scams

Here's a state-by-state look, using data available from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), ranking states by total amount of money lost to fraud.

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow

35 Maine Restaurants That are Worth a Long Drive to Get to

Thanks to our great listeners we were able to compile a list of many of Maine's great restaurants, cafes, pubs and bakeries that are worth a long drive to get to.

These great spots can be found across the state and waiting for you to give them a try.

How many have you been to?

Gallery Credit: Chris Sedenka