The state is alerting consumers about a surge of suspicious mailers regarding home warranties. These mailers warn consumers that their “home warranty may be expiring or may have already expired,” and ask for payment.
These mailers are scams, and you should not answer, says the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance, Department of Financial Institutions, and Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Some letters may even include the name of your mortgage company to make the solicitation appear more legitimate. Do not be fooled by their knowledge of this information. The name of your mortgage lender and servicer are public record.
Look for these red flags when encountering suspicious home warranty mailers:
- Use of threatening language or unnecessary urgency.
- e.g. “final notice,” “immediate response requested,” or “we reserve the right to revoke your eligibility for service coverage after 5 days.”
- It appears to be from a government entity but does not include specific details.
- e.g. “home warranty division” or “lender services.”
- Information that does not match your circumstances.
- e.g. stating “your home warranty may be expiring,” when you do not have a home warranty.
- There is no return address and the only contact information given is a phone number.
- A fake check comes with the mailer.
The safest course of action to keep yourself protected is to not respond. Do not call the phone numbers listed on these mailers. The person on the other end is likely seeking your personal information.
“Scammers try to pressure consumers into handing over their money or private information before they get a chance to question the request’s legitimacy,” says DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski. “No honest agency or business will demand immediate payment. If you have questions or suspect a scam, contact DATCP and our partners DFI and OCI.”
For more information on current scams, consumer laws and publications, and how to file a complaint, contact DATCP’s Hotline toll-free at (800) 422-7128 or by email at DATCPHotline@wisconsin.gov.
