Some professional scammers are trained in deception to such a degree they could fool any of us, at any age. They target seniors who live at home alone, like Barbara Hinckley. Three days after hearing she had won a Publisher’s Clearinghouse contest Hinckley received a false copy of a check for $2.5 million in a package. It was all part of a professional scam. Unwittingly, Hinckley was taken in and gave away more than $16,000 to the con man.

After reading a Sun Journal story detailing the con that stripped the 95-year-old Auburn woman of her life savings former Gov. John Baldacci jumped in to help. “I thought I could soften the blow if we put on one of our spaghetti dinners. She’s such a lovely lady, what happened disgusted me,” said Baldacci.The fundraising dinner will be held at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at Auburn Middle School, 38 Falcon Drive. To buy tickets and/or donate beforehand please go here.