Wisconsin Senior Medicare Patrol

Scammers are targeting Clark County residents with two popular scams, according to a new story in WQOW.

One is the grandparent scam, where someone calls up a senior, pretending to be a grandchild in “desperate” need for cash. They get the unsuspecting senior to forward case via Western Union or other delivery service, then vanish.

The other is a prize scam. A caller tells victims they have won some cash – but they need to hand over their bank account number so the money can be directly deposited. Sometimes, the caller will tell the “winner” they need to pay a processing fee before they can receive their prize. These are slick ways to get personal information from unsuspecting Wisconsinites.

Avoid getting scammed:

• Never hand out your private information over the phone. This includes your bank account number, Social Security number, birth date and maiden name.
• Never wire payments to someone you don’t know.
• Don’t hesitate to ask your kids if your grandchildren need financial help. Don’t let embarrassment over not being able to tell if it is your grandchild on the phone cost you thousands in retirement money.
• Keep a list of contests you’ve entered, so you know if a scammer is calling you. You should NEVER have to pay for a cash prize.
• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.