DATCP Offers Tips to be “Scam Free” in 2020

If one of your New Year’s Resolutions was to keep yourself “scam
free” this year, state consumer protection officials want to help you get off
to a good start.

Michelle Reinen, Director of the state’s Consumer
Protection bureau says keeping yourself “scam free” starts with knowing how
scammers operate, and their main ways of trying to get your money or personal
information. “They use the phone, a lot,” Reinen said. “It’s one of the most popular
ways they try and invade consumers’ privacy and target them – but they also use
fake caller ID information, what we call spoofing, to try and trick consumers
into answering the phone and engaging in conversations.”

Reinen says people should know that just because scammers
tend to use the phone quite a bit, they also use social media, email and fake
websites to target consumers.

People who want more information about how to stay “scam
free” in 2020 can visit datcp.wi.gov or call the state’s Consumer Protection
Hotline at 800-422-7128.