News

Two Portland Area Law Enforcement Agencies Warn of Scams

Cape Elizabeth Police Department - Scam Alert


The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office is warning about a scam after a resident received a letter threatening seizure of their home over back taxes.

The Sheriff’s Office says the resident received a letter in the mail from an entity called the Federal Tax Authorities informing them that a lien has been filed against their residence for unpaid taxes.

The letter encourages the receiver not to enter, dismantle, or remove anything from their residence.

Deputies say the letter encourages the receiver to call a certain number to pay the back taxes to avoid their residence being seized and possible garnishment from bank accounts.

Officers say no credible institution will demand cash transactions.

Cumberland County deputies say anyone receiving such a letter should contact their financial institution in person or call them at 207-774-1444.

Meanwhile, Cape Elizabeth Police are warning about a scam after a citizen reported being contacted by a caller claiming to be Sergeant Jeff Gaudette of the Cape Elizabeth Police Department.

The caller said the person missed a court date and a warrant had been issued for their arrest, but the matter could be cleared by paying a sum of money.

Cape Elizabeth Police say law enforcement will never call and demand payment or threaten arrest over the phone.

They say anyone receiving such a call should not provide any personal or financial information and should hang up immediately.

Latest Headlines

19 hours ago in Entertainment

‘Stand by Me’ stars reflect on the movie, Rob Reiner and its return to theaters 40 years later

Jerry O'Connell, Corey Feldman and Wil Wheaton were already thinking about "Stand by Me" when Rob Reiner died in December. Just a week prior, the trio spent a weekend together attending some screenings of Reiner's beloved coming-of-age film, which was about to turn 40.

19 hours ago in Sports, Trending

March Madness: Here’s one thing you need to know about each of the 16 teams remaining in men’s field

Florida isn't around to defend its title anymore, but all the other top seeds in this year's NCAA Tournament are still around. And many of them are winning convincingly.

19 hours ago in Entertainment

Stephen Colbert and son will co-write a ‘Lord of the Rings’ movie

Stephen Colbert, famous devotee to J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth, is co-writing a "Lord of the Rings" movie with his son. Warner Bros. announced early Wednesday that Colbert will script "The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past" along with series veteran Philippa Boyens and Peter McGee, Colbert's son.

2 days ago in Entertainment, Trending

Now a true pop star, Miley Cyrus returns to her ‘Hannah Montana’ roots to fete anniversary special

Sporting that "Hannah Montana" blond hair and bangs, Miley Cyrus went back to her roots — celebrating 20 years of the TV show that launched the career of a real-life pop star.

3 days ago in Entertainment

Box Office: ‘Project Hail Mary’ blasts off with $80.5 million, a best for Amazon MGM, and the year

"Project Hail Mary" is bringing audiences to movie theaters in numbers the industry hasn't seen for a non-franchise film since "Oppenheimer." The science fiction epic starring Ryan Gosling earned around $80.5 million in ticket sales in its first weekend playing in North America, according to studio estimates Sunday.