CAPE ELIZABETH — The Cape Elizabeth Police Department is alerting residents about a scam targeting older adults after two recent incidents in which fraudsters posed as family members in distress.
In both cases, scammers called elderly residents claiming to be a grandchild in legal trouble and in need of bail money.
One victim withdrew $9,000 but was prevented from sending the money by an alert bank teller.
In a second case, the scammers requested $50,000, but the victims realized it was a fraud when the caller could not correctly answer a personal question about their family.
Police are urging residents to verify unexpected requests for money, contact family members directly, and avoid providing personal information over the phone.
Authorities emphasize that law enforcement agencies do not request bail payments through phone calls or third parties.
