Toll, auto scams target Wisconsin consumers in April 2025
Toll, auto scams target Wisconsin consumers in April 2025
People in Wisconsin are being inundated by scam texts about overdue tolls.
MILWAUKEE - Whether it's a text, phone call or Facebook message, scammers are trying to con Wisconsin consumers from every angle.
Overdue toll scam
What we know:
One common scam is almost as irritating as traffic congestion: text messages from fake tollways. Wisconsin Consumer Protection says texts about overdue tolls are inundating people's phones.
"They're not just receiving one message, but multiple messages," said Michelle Reinen, administrator of the Wisconsin Division of Trade and Consumer Protection.
Michelle Reinen
The messages include a link to where the driver can make a payment. Reinen says the link leads to the impostor's website. She says the scammers are also after personally identifying information.
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One scam text says, "Your toll balance is outstanding. If you fail to pay ... you will face penalties or legal action."
Reinen says if you get one of these texts: slow down. Notice of a real toll payment comes by mail.
"Report this to your telecommunications provider, so they can try and stop the messages from coming through," said Reinen.
Fake check scam
What we know:
Another scam targets people listing cars for sale on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. The scammer responds to a listing, saying they're interested but don't live nearby. The scammer sends a check asking the seller hold the vehicle until they can pick it up.
The scammer's check is for too much money, so they ask the seller to send the difference back.
"Lo and behold, the check is fake," said Reinen.
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Once the check is deposited, the scammer's money temporarily shows up in the seller's bank account. Later on, the check bounces, leaving the car seller out their money. The bank may also charge a penalty for depositing the fake check.
A general rule: never accept a check for more than the selling price.
"Do business with someone who is in-person, face-to-face," said Reinen. "If they can meet partway in a very safe and secure location."
Were you a victim?
What you can do:
If you're the victim of a scam, let the state know and file a complaint.
To notify Contact 6, or seek help with a consumer problem, submit a Contact 6 complaint form.
The Source: Information from this report comes from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture. Trade and Consumer Protection.