BBB Warns Wisconsin Residents Of A New Package Delivery Scam
If you live in Wisconsin, listen up. The Better Business Bureau is warning residents of a new scam they say is on the rise.
A news outlet out of Green Bay first reported on the scam, saying it is aimed at taking people's personal information and banking information all at once.
The Better Business Bureau says scammers are doing this by posing as an employee with US Customs and Border Patrol. Scammers are reaching out to residents via call, email or text message. In the message, the scammer claims they intercepted a package for you that is filled with drugs, weapons, cash or something just as serious.
This obviously creates panic within the person on the other end of the line. The scammer tells you that if you don't respond right away, you could be arrested. This makes things all the more urgent, meaning you are more likely to do as you are instructed.
So what happens next? Scammers instruct you to verify your identity by asking personal questions they will use later to steal your identity. We all know what happens next.
The Better Business Bureau says there is also another version of this scam in which scammers try to take your money. This one uses the same ruse, with the scammers posing as a member of US Customs and Border Protection.
Just like the previous scam, they claim they have a package for you that contains a massive prize or present and request you pay them so they can ship it to you. Naturally, they will use your banking information to steal funds from you.
We have all been the victim of a scam but there are ways to prevent this again in the future. Always make sure you confirm that the person on the other end of the line or the message is legitimate. Know which organizations will or won't ask for personal information. Always be extra cautious and do your research before jumping into something like the scams mentioned above.
A recent scam has people posing as employees with Visa and Mastercard, claiming to work for the "department" of both. However, these departments simply don't exist. See what I mean by taking a little bit of time to do some research?