A recent message from Windham Police Department stated that they have received a number of complaints concerning unsolicited bank checks received in the mail. The person receiving the check is instructed to cash the check and return a portion of the money via Western Union or other electronic means to an address out of state.

Generally, these mailings look very professional and may even be delivered by UPS or FedEx. A number of residents in Windham have deposited these checks into their personal accounts, only to find out that they are fraudulent. If this happens to you and you are a Windham resident, report this to the Windham Police Department by calling 892-2525. Other people who have been victimized should call their local police departments.

Residents should also be aware of any phone call received from area code 876. Recent news via the Internet states that FairPoint Communications and law enforcement are warning the public about a telephone scam that originates from that area code. The scam has victimized elderly residents throughout Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, resulting in losses of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

If you get a call saying you’re a winner – don’t pay any money to collect supposed sweepstakes winnings. Legitimate operations won’t require you to pay to collect your winnings. It’s against federal law to play a foreign lottery – so if you get a call it is likely a scam.

Never wire money to anyone with whom you are not familiar. Never provide anyone with personal information such as bank accounts, PIN or Social Security numbers. Check any unfamiliar area codes before returning calls. Be aware that there are many 3-digit area codes that connect callers to international telephone numbers – especially 876.

If you do not have Caller ID, consider adding it to your phone service. Caller ID allows you to add a Call Intercept feature that screens calls and offers the option to reject suspicious international calls. If you do not make international calls, ask your telephone provider to block outgoing international calls. Contact your phone service provider, local authorities, or the Federal Trade Commission to report a potential scam.

Kay Soldier welcomes reader ideas for column topics of interest to seniors. She can be reached by email at kso48@aol.com, or write to 114 Tandberg Trail, Windham, ME 04062.