Maine Woman Target of Aggressive and Complicated Scam, 1 Arrested

One person is in custody for a scary scam that had targeted an elderly Hermon woman.

Hermon Woman Gave In to Scammers After Repeated Harrassing Calls

In most scams of this type, the fraudsters will demand money over the phone, but this one became more personal. On February 3, 2025, the Penobscot County Sheriff's Office learned that an elderly Hermon woman had been receiving phone calls from a scammer who claimed that her financial accounts had been compromised and she needed to withdraw the funds. The calls began in a professional manner, but soon became aggressive, with the caller demanding money.

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Finally, after multiple threatening calls, the woman agreed to give the caller money. But instead of asking for gift cards or debit card information, this scammer sent someone to the woman's home to collect the money. Once she complied, the calls and aggressive demands became more frequent.

Maine Officials Caught Up to a Suspect Who Traveled From Boston

Then on February 13th, the scammer called again and said someone was there to pick up a package. Deputies quickly responded to the home and found a person in the immediate area who had traveled from Boston in a rented car and was allegedly involved in the fraud. An investigation into the suspect revealed that their citizenship was in question, so the Sheriff's Office contacted the Department of Homeland Security.

All Residents Should Be Aware of Potential Scammers, Especially the Elderly

Penobscot County officials say people should be aware of potential scammers. They may pretend to be someone you trust, like a government agency, a bank, or family member to gain your confidence, often using general information to try and gain your trust. Their tactics often begin in a friendly way, but can turn aggressive. This case, officials say, was different from others because of the aggressive nature of the phone calls and then sending people to the victim's home. Typically scammers will ask for sensitive information and payments over the phone.

Residents are reminded not to share their personal information, make payments over the phone, or offer to pay in person. Anyone receiving these calls should contact their local law enforcement agency.