Orono woman says no to scam

A man claiming to be a Canadian customs agent contacted an Orono woman recently saying that he had intercepted two $50,000 checks she was awarded as part of a contest.

The man told her the package containing the checks was considered suspicious at the time it was stopped and opened by Canadian customs, but in exchange for some money wired to him, he would forward the Reader’s Digest award checks to her.

The woman didn’t fall for what she and police in Orono and fraud investigators in Canada believed to be a scam, even after the man claiming to be a Canadian official named George Nelson called several more times insisting she won. It was an offer she could refuse, and did, telling Orono police that she never entered the contest she was told she had won. She called Orono police instead.

Orono police Officer Will Sheehan handled the fraud report on this side of the border, although he did contact Phonebusters, a national deceptive telemarketing call center operated by police in Ontario.

Sheehan said Ontario officials believe that someone using this same name has deceived consumers with this tale of a windfall in Idaho, California and closer to home in Westbrook. Sheehan said this scam had its most success outside of this state where people in California and Idaho having sent $3,000 each.

Sheehan said that the perpetrators use stolen cellular phones or phone cards to place the calls and sometimes tap into the voice mail systems of legitimate companies, giving them a place to refer messages to.

In some cases, they try the same scam six months down the road or sell the phone number to other scam organizations, Sheehan said.

Authorities in both countries said educating people about the scams is the best deterrent.

A Bangor man faces several charges after attempting to flee from members of the Maine Warden Service Saturday evening while driving backward on his four-wheeler, officials said.

Phillip Jordan, 43, was arrested and charged with operating a vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants and failure to stop, Warden Joe Bates said Monday. Officials had been near a recreational trail by Griffin Road and Kenduskeag Stream when they noticed a four-wheeler parked facing the road.

Members of the Maine Warden Service pulled into an area near the four-wheeler and the ATV immediately took off, Bates said. Bates chased Jordan on foot as Jordan drove in reverse.

After 50 yards, Jordan’s four-wheeler tipped over and wardens were able to apprehend him, Bates said. Jordan was taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, was treated, released and taken to Penobscot County Jail.

Aside from slurred speech, Bates could smell alcohol on Jordan’s breath and charged Jordan with OUI, Bates said. Results are still pending on a blood test to determine Jordan’s blood alcohol level.

The four-wheeler had minimal damage, Bates said.

Jordan was released later that day on personal recognizance and will appear in 3rd District Court in Bangor on Aug. 12.

A Winn woman suffered a broken collarbone and other injuries Monday after she lost control of the motorcycle she was riding and drove off the road in Orono.

Tania Mushero, 22, was on Forest Avenue heading toward Essex Street about 10:30 a.m. when she failed to make a turn, crossed the road and went down into a ditch, reported Orono police Officer Richard Bryant.

The officer attributed the accident to the inexperience of the rider. Mushero received her permit on May 29. She was wearing her helmet at the time of the accident, however.

– Compiled by NEWS reporters Doug Kesseli and Derek Breton