Cybersecurity expert warns Bangor residents about rising phone and online scams

The Bangor Livable Communities Committee hosted a presentation by cybersecurity professional Alexandria Poulin on recognizing and preventing common scams. Poulin detailed the tactics used in phone, text, and online fraud, emphasizing the importance of verifying contact information and resisting urgency. Committee members and attendees discussed the growing threat of AI-generated voice clones and the specific vulnerabilities of older residents.

Key points

• Alexandria Poulin, a cybersecurity professional, presented on identifying scams, noting that 73% of US adults have experienced some form of online scam or attack.
• Poulin highlighted the "sheriff scam" where callers spoof numbers to claim a warrant exists, urging residents to hang up and call official numbers directly.
• The presenter advised creating family code words to verify the identity of loved ones, especially to counter AI voice cloning scams.
• Roz Fisher noted that AARP offers resources and presentations on fraud protection, which is particularly relevant for older populations in Maine.
• Dominic Rizzo announced upcoming community clean-up events along the Penobscot River, scheduled for the third Saturday of every month except winter.
• Roz Fisher promoted the Bangor United Multicultural Fair, scheduled for October 10, highlighting the diverse nationalities represented in the local community.

Next steps

• The City of Bangor will share the presentation recording via its YouTube channel to allow residents to review the scam prevention tips.
• Mark Fryer at the University of Maine is working to update the website for Faith, Thinking, and Action to improve local resource accessibility.

Read the full transcript