Category: Community Service

Community Service Committee and information

Fraud Watch- Tech Support Scams

Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

A new surge of tech support scams is threatening consumers. Criminals use scary warning pop-up messages, or cold calls pretending to be a major software company to gain access to your device.

Many modern tech support alerts closely resemble real system warnings, making them difficult to detect at first glance. Vulnerable targets include standalone home computers, tablets used for online banking, and personal laptops used in busy public Wi-Fi areas.

If your screen freezes or a strange alert pops up, pause before reacting. Reflect on what you might have heard (or read) about scams that start out like this. To clear the warnings, you may have to shut down your device to get rid of them.

To help stay safe, keep your operating system and antivirus software up to date. If you are concerned that your device may be compromised, get it checked out at a repair shop you trust.

More Topic Resources

Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.

AARP Fraud Watch Network

Need a scam prevention speaker for your group? Click the link to fill out the AARP online form or email me@aarp.org.

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Clothing Giveaway at Saco Grange

Saco Grange Flyer

Fraud Watch- Jury Duty Scams

Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

Scammers often use fear and intimidation to convince people of their scheme. In jury duty scams, criminals call or message posing as court officials, US marshals, or sheriff’s deputies. They falsely claim that you missed a jury summons and threaten you with immediate arrest unless you pay right away.

To heighten the panic, criminals often spoof caller ID screens to display a local courthouse or police department number. They aggressively demand that you stay on the phone while you purchase gift cards, send a wire transfer, or deposit money into a cryptocurrency account. In other instances, they may ask for your Social Security number under the guise of checking records.

Real courts will never contact you out of the blue to demand immediate payment or sensitive information over the phone, nor do they threaten jail time for a missed jury summons. Official court business regarding jury service is managed exclusively through the mail. If you receive a suspicious call, hang up immediately and verify the claim by calling your local courthouse directly.

Learn how to spot and avoid scams with AARP Fraud Watch Network™. Suspect a scam? Call our free helpline at 877-908-3360 and talk to one of our fraud specialists about what to do next.

Need a scam prevention speaker for your group? Click the link to fill out our online form or send an email to me@aarp.org.

More Topic Resources

Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.

AARP Fraud Watch Network

Need a scam prevention speaker for your group? Click the link to fill out the AARP online form or email me@aarp.org.

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Subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website

Madison Grange Food Distribution

East Madison Grange is located at 15 Grange Road in East Madison

The East Madison Food Project giveaway day will be Friday, July 31st, from 10 am-11:30 am at the East Madison Grange. 1 box per family. Come early as supplies are limited. Doors open at 10 am. All are welcome!

Fraud Watch- QR Code Scams

Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

QR codes have become a convenient part of our daily lives, from viewing restaurant menus to paying for parking meters. However, scammers are increasingly taking advantage of this technology to steal your personal information and money through a tactic known as “squishing.” By physically pasting fraudulent stickers over legitimate ones, or sending fake codes via email or text, criminals can redirect you to malicious websites meant to mimic trusted businesses.

 In public settings, you might unknowingly scan a tampered code on a flyer or parking meter, sending your payment directly into a scammer’s account.

Protecting yourself requires extra caution. When scanning a physical QR code, ensure it’s not a sticker layered over the original. When in doubt, avoid the QR code entirely, and use your phone’s web browser and type in the official web address yourself.  Additionally, keeping your devices’ operating systems updated and using antivirus protection can offer an important second line of defense.

More Topic Resources

Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.

AARP Fraud Watch Network

Need a scam prevention speaker for your group? Click the link to fill out the AARP online form or email me@aarp.org.

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Subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website

You’ll Miss Us!

a “webatorial” by MSG Communications Director
Walter Boomsma

Seth Godin wrote an interesting post suggesting that when people move away, cards and cake should read, “You’ll miss us” instead of “We’ll miss you.” He points out that the community remains.

One of the more powerful sentences in the short post was, “When a marketer serves a community, they create the conditions where they’d be missed–because the ideas or products or services they bring are important, not simply tolerated.“

With apologies to Seth, I changed a word or two. “When a Grange serves a community, they create the conditions where they’d be missed–because the ideas or services they bring are important, not simply tolerated.“

My revision raises a question for Granges. Would your communities miss you if you were gone? Would they even notice? Are you important or simply tolerated?

One of the challenges we face as an organization is relevance in communities that are loosely defined and increasingly diverse. If our vision is narrow and our goals are limited, we will be missed by an ever-diminishing number of people. For example, not everyone likes potluck suppers.

Seth’s short message is that marketers should see a worthwhile goal of creating ideas, products, or services that the community would miss.

Maybe it’s time for Granges to figure out what they can create and offer that their communities would miss.

Fraud Watch- Utility Scams

Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

As rising summer temperatures cause energy demands to increase, criminals exploit fears of losing power and air conditioning by posing as local utility companies.

Scammers place threatening phone calls, phishing emails, or urgent text messages aimed at convincing consumers to supply personal data or to click on unverified links to resolve a past-due balance. Oftentimes these schemes are accompanied by a push to receive instant payment through unconventional payment methods like gift cards, or cryptocurrency.  

If you receive an unexpected threat to terminate your service, take an active pause and contact the utility company’s customer service department using the number from your physical bill or the company’s website (don’t search – go directly to the site) to check your account status. Chances are it’s a scam.

More Topic Resources

Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.

AARP Fraud Watch Network

Need a scam prevention speaker for your group? Click the link to fill out the AARP online form or email me@aarp.org.

Share this news!

Subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website

St George Grange Chair-ity Auction

Recycling at it’s best!

Members of the St. George Grange came up with the whimsical idea of having 17 local artists paint some of their vintage wooden chairs and chose Zero to School as the recipient of this CHAIR-ITY fundraiser auction.  These ONE-OF-A-KIND works of art represent both the talent and generosity of these artists.

Check out the amazing chairs and the auction, and learn more about Zero to School! Bidding closes on July 19, 2026 at 8:00 p.m.

Check ouT the Chairs!

Coastal Cleanup Program Returns

Reprinted with permission from an e-newsletter published by Maine Senator Stacey Guerin.

The Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) announced that the Maine Coastal Cleanup is returning for 2026 in conjunction with the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup effort.

According to DMR, the September event marks the largest volunteer effort in the state. In 2025, the multi-week event drew 1,287 volunteers who cleaned thousands of pounds of trash and debris from almost 95 miles of coastline.

This year’s campaign is scheduled Sept. 5-19; and volunteers are being sought from Surry to Portland. For more information about volunteering, or to register your own cleanup effort as a cleanup coordinator, visit DMR’s event website.

Coastal Cleanup Poster

Participation could be a great fall community service project for Grangers and Junior Grangers. Volunteers support this effort by adopting a location and soliciting others to join them in cleaning up the trash from their location of choice and help to keep our coast and ocean trash free!

Fraud Watch- Credit Card Skimming

Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

With fuel pumps and ATM’s as frequent targets, a surge of skimming devices is threatening consumers. Criminals attach sophisticated skimmers directly over legitimate card slots or splice them into internal wiring to secretly record your financial data.

Many modern skimming devices closely resemble real hardware, making them difficult to detect at first glance. Vulnerable targets include standalone ATM’s, unattended retail checkout lines, and card terminals located in busy tourist areas.

The next time you fill your tank or use a card terminal, inspect the machine closely for loose, bent, crooked, or scratched components. Pull firmly on the card slot or wiggle the keypad before inserting your card. If anything feels loose or altered, do not use it and notify an employee immediately. To help stay safe, choose tap-to-pay options or digital wallets over physical insertion. Use credit cards for stronger fraud protections.

More Topic Resources

Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.

AARP Fraud Watch Network

Need a scam prevention speaker for your group? Click the link to fill out the AARP online form or email me@aarp.org.

Share this news!

Subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website