Maine’s Bangor Int’l Airport Now Seeing a Surge in Romance Scams

Getting scammed has got to be the worst.

A few years ago, I bought a custom-built snare drum from a guy online. It's actually one of my favorites in my collection. The guy turned the whole project around in about 6 weeks. About 18 months later, I commissioned him to build another one. So far, that was 18 months ago. At this point, on a daily basis I wonder if I will ever get that drum. Is my $900 deposit just gone? We'll see...

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I've heard plenty of other horror stories from friends and such, about elderly relatives being scammed out of a ton of money. And as much as that can suck on a grand scale, It must hurt even worse to lose a ton of money, and to have someone trash your most sensitive feelings too. It happens more than you think. And it's happening right in Bangor, Maine.

'Romance scams' are on the rise at Bangor Int'l Airport.

It sounds like something right out of a movie, but it's just what it sounds like. People from Maine are meeting people online or whatnot, and they're getting into long-distance relationships. Eventually, the scammer usually starts asking for money, and at some point typically want to finally meet in person.

They're getting the people on the other end to wire them money for plane tickets, hotels, etc. The victims are then heading to the airport to pick these people up, only to have no one show. They're just left standing there, wondering what happened. According to WABI, this is happening more and more, right in Bangor. Sometimes as often as once or twice a week.

Scammers are professionals at getting your money.

Obviously, scammers are tugging at people's heartstrings to get what they want out of them, but you literally have no idea who's on the other end of that computer. It's definitely not what you think, in any way. Scammers prey on these vulnerabilities to get you to help them. Or love them. Whatever seems to be your weakness.

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Sadly, there's often no way to track these people down. Scammers disappear as soon as they hit the jackpot. You'll never hear from again. Or worse, they'll find a way to string someone along a bit further. Either way, as the good old saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. But this stuff is below the belt, on every level.

This is from a couple years ago, but still holds true now...