Falmouth officer thwarts scam at local store

FALMOUTH — A Falmouth police officer prevented an elderly man from falling victim to a scam at a Cumberland Farms store on Sept. 19 at around 4:21 p.m. Officer Sean Lowe, while on duty, noticed the man engaging in what appeared to be suspicious activity at a Bitcoin ATM.

The store staff had already recognized the scam and attempted to intervene before Lowe stepped in.

The elderly man was in the middle of depositing a significant sum of cash under the guidance of a scammer with a foreign accent who was instructing him over the phone.

The victim had been misled to believe he needed to return funds due to an overpayment in a PayPal transaction.

Detective Kurt Ruta arrived to assist and discovered the victim had withdrawn just under $10,000, which is below the threshold that requires mandatory reporting by banks in the U.S.

Thanks to Lowe’s quick response, the scam was thwarted.

The Falmouth Police Department advises the public to be skeptical of unsolicited calls, not to rush decisions, consult with trusted individuals, and educate themselves about common scams.

Ongoing investigations are being conducted by detectives.

For more information on scam prevention, the Falmouth Police Department encourages residents to visit their website or contact local authorities.