Fraud Watch Wednesdays: Imposter Scams

Criminals will pretend to be anyone in order to get your money and personal information - Social Security Administration, a family member or loved one, tech support companies - you name it, they'll impersonate them all.

Michelle Reinen from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) joined us to talk about these types of imposter scams, how you can spot them, what to do if you encounter them, and all the great work that DATCP does. You can watch the recording of this discussion below.



DATCP is the state's primary consumer protection agency, and the Bureau of Consumer Protection has authority to regulate unfair business practices. DATCP:

• Operates Wisconsin's Consumer Protection hotline, handling 100,000 new consumer complaints and inquiries every year.
• Regulates unfair and deceptive business practices - in 2021, DATCP returned more than $11,151,000 to consumers.
• Provides education and outreach to both consumers and businesses
• Administers Wisconsin's Do Not Call law
• And more!

Please take advantage of the below resources from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection:

• DATCP.WI.GOV
  Visit DATCP's website to file a complaint or access numerous factsheets
  
• 1-800-422-7128
  Call the DATCP Consumer Protection Hotline to report scams and fraud
  
• SENIOR GUIDE
  The Senior Guide contains more than 50 pages of information, covering topics from the “grandparents scam" to landlord/tenant laws to filing a complaint with DATCP. Check out their website to learn more and download a copy.
  
• Social Media
  Keep up with the latest scams and consumer protection news on Facebook and Twitter.

This discussion was part of our Fraud Watch Wednesdays. Keep up with our Fraud Watch Wednesdays webinar series on our website.

The AARP Fraud Watch Network is a free resource for people of all ages, whether they're an AARP member or not. Our website (https://www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork) has:

• Tips and tricks for avoiding all kinds of scams
• Articles about currently trending scams
• Our podcast, The Perfect Scam
• Watchdog Alerts, bi-weekly emails that you can sign up for to stay on top of scams

You can also call the Fraud Watch Network helpline toll-free to talk with a trained volunteer about your experience with a scam and to get next steps in your action plan to protect yourself and your information.
AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline
Monday - Friday, 7:00 am - 7:00 pm CT
877-908-3360

Recently, AARP also launched free, online support groups for those who have been victimized by con artists. You can learn more about the support groups here.

If you would like to request a presentation for your community group, please reach out to us at wistate@aarp.org.

Keep up with our Fraud Watch Wednesdays webinar series on our website.