Wisconsin’s top scams for December 2024
MILWAUKEE - Planning to travel or host visitors in the coming weeks? Be on alert -- the busy holiday season is an opportunity for scammers to swoop in.
Contact 6 spoke with the Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection about some common scams making the rounds in December.
TSA Precheck Scams
Scammers know that travelers hate airport security lines. They’ll send a text or email offering to speed things up by signing up for TSA Precheck.
The link takes people to a website that looks just like the TSA’s. However, using TSA Precheck for the first time isn’t that simple.
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"You cannot do this online," said Michelle Reinen, administrator of the Division of Trade and Consumer Protection.
"You have to go to a center in order to do this. (You have to) make an appointment. You can go to the legitimate TSA website to find those locations."
Utility Impersonation Scams
Another scam making the rounds in December is utility impersonations. These scammers want to trick you into sending money quickly and in a panic, sometimes by prepaid gift card.
"They indicate you are delinquent in your payments and they are coming to do a disconnection," said Reinen.
Remember that notice of a real disconnection is sent by mail. Also, right now there’s a moratorium in Wisconsin that prevents residential disconnections.
"They cannot do disconnections and can’t even think about beginning those until April 15th," said Reinen.
Snowball Scams
As much fun as a snowball fight is, what DATCP is calling "the snowball scam" is far less innocent.
"It’s many individual scams being pieced together," said Reinen. "The start small and they continue to get more complex."
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Reinen says it starts as a simple scam, such as "your finances are compromised." After tricking you into sending money, the scammers reappear as the hero. They may pretend to be the government agency that can help you reverse the damage.
Michelle Reinen
Don’t send payment in any form or hand over personal information. Be skeptical of anyone who asks you to keep information secret or pressures you to make a fast decision. Take you time and talk it over with people you trust.