Bangor residents have lost about $30,000 from imposter scams in just the past few days.
The schemes involved an individual allegedly calling the victim posing as a family member who needs money to leave jail, Bangor police Sgt. Wade Betters said Wednesday.
The alleged scammer told the victim to give money to a courier sent by the family member’s lawyer. An individual posing as a lawyer also called the victims in the scheme.
Shortly after the calls, a person connected to the scheme went to the victim’s residence and collected a payment before leaving.
The scheme had targeted some of Bangor “older and [more vulnerable] residents,” Betters said.
An elderly woman in China lost $18,000 in a similar scam last week. She was told that her son-in-law had been in an accident and required cash to get out of jail, the Portland Press Herald reported.
Bangor police are trying to identify the registration number and occupants of a newer black Cadillac XT5 SUV believed to be involved in the scam. The car may have New York state license places, Betters said.
Anybody with information about the whereabouts of the vehicle or those suspected in the scam can contact Bangor police Detective Jordan Perry by calling (207) 947-7384 ext. 5744 or leave an anonymous message for officers at (207) 947-7384 ext. 3.
The Federal Trade Commission reported that Americans had lost about $667 million dollars in 647,472 imposter scams in 2019 alone. Such schemes are known to target vulnerable groups, including older Americans.