In the season of giving, scammers are still trying to take advantage of people’s money and personal information.
Randy Romanski, secretary-designee for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, said the consumer protection division is continuing to see old scams dressed up in new disguises.
“Unfortunately even during a pandemic, scammers are still trying to take advantage of consumers,” Romanski said.
Recent scams involve pet or recreational vehicle sales. People appear to be selling puppies or RVs online, but once a consumer pays, the seller disappears. Another relatively new development is government payments on Facebook.
“It appears to take the form of a Facebook post where the person claims that a Wisconsin agency is giving out money because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Romanski explained. “It invites people to comment on the post to get the money.”
The Department of Consumer Protection reminds people that if a deal sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. Romanski advised not to give out any personal information to a stranger over the phone or the internet and to ask a lot of questions to check the legitimacy of anybody trying to make a sale.
People can find resources or file a complaint online or by calling the consumer hotline at (800) 422-7128.
