Maine Sees Spike in Senior Fraud Cases as Scammers Get More Sophisticated

New data shows Mainers are losing more money overall to scams, even as the average loss per victim remains the lowest in the country.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, residents over the age of 60 lost nearly $11 million to fraud in 2025. That’s a 67 percent increase from the year before, signaling a sharp rise in total losses across the state.

WGME reports that despite that increase, the average loss per victim in Maine was about $430. That’s significantly lower than anywhere else in the U.S. For comparison, Nebraska reported the highest average loss, with victims there losing close to $4,000 each.

The numbers suggest more people are being targeted and reporting scams, even if individual losses tend to be smaller.

So what’s driving the trend?

Imposter scams once again top the list, according to the FTC. These involve scammers pretending to be from government agencies, banks, or well-known companies to trick victims into handing over money or personal information. Online shopping scams are also common, along with fake prize or sweepstakes notifications and tech support fraud, channel 13 said.

Experts say scams are becoming more convincing, especially with the rise of artificial intelligence, which can mimic voices and create realistic-looking messages.

WGME said the bottom line is simple. If you get an unexpected call, text, or email asking for money or sensitive information, don’t rush. Take a moment to verify who you’re dealing with before responding.