Wisconsin Senior Medicare Patrol

New Scams in Clark County

1. September 2010

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. [...]

Wisconsin Students Scammed by College

23. August 2010

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A 23-year old Wisconsinite is suing a Colorado college that she claims duped her out of thousands. Federal authorities are investigating Westwood College of Denver, which was illegally operating in Wisconsin. Recruiters told the girl her interior design degree would be approved by the state by the time she graduated – but that wasn’t the [...]

Wisconsin Man Unknowingly Involved in Identity Theft Scheme

5. August 2010

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In this bad economy, people are desperate for jobs – and crooks are ready to cash in on that desperation by using them to commit fraud. One Wisconsin man got a job cashing checks for a company. He found out about the job online. Turns out, the “company” was a bunch of crooks who got [...]

Scammers Get Wisconsin Woman to Ship Military Parts to Russia

2. August 2010

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A 44-year old Ripon, Wisconsin woman just wanted a job. She thought she’d found it in a shipping venture. What she got was a place at the center of a weapons smuggling investigation spanning the globe. The woman was hired to ship clothing to orphans in Russia. But a tip from a firearms dealer in [...]

Wisconsin One of Seven States Involved Credit Card Scheme

13. July 2010

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Six California residents were indicted by a grand jury for using fake credit cards to get cash and merchandise in seven states – including Wisconsin. The Associated Press reports: Prosecutors said the cards were used in Colorado, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Utah and Wisconsin. The indictment includes allegations involving only Colorado banks and businesses. [...]

Watch Out for Ash Tree Scams

5. July 2010

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With the confirmed discovery of the emerald ash borer in Milwaukee County this month, some folks are terrified their ash trees could become victims to the deadly green beetle. Some businesses are taking that fear and cashing in – big time. Some scammers even use fear of the gypsy moth to scare customers into spending [...]

10 Arrested for Mortgage Fraud

21. June 2010

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Ten people were arrested as part of investigations into mortgage fraud in Wisconsin. They were a fraction of 500 arrests made since March in a nationwide sting on scammers preying on homeowners who need mortgage help. The scammers in some cases submitted fake mortgage applications. BusinessWeek has more. The FBI has details on how you [...]

Watch Out for Traveling Work Crews

9. June 2010

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A new Wisconsin law will help protect the public from scammers who travel in work crews. A popular summer scam involves crews going door-to-door, offer up services for cash, but never completing the work – or doing work so bad, it has to be redone. The law requires all traveling crews to carry certain paperwork [...]

Avoid Loan Processing Fee Scams

7. June 2010

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Scammers are ready to take the cash of unsuspecting people who desperately need loans. How do they do it? They promise an unsecured loan for a hefty processing fee. Once paid, the con runs off with the fee – and the victims are out the cash AND don’t get the loan. These scammers like to [...]

Grandma Says Watch Out of Scams

3. June 2010

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A grandmother from Madison is warning others about a scam she narrowly avoided. Late last month, a boy called and made her think it was one of her grandsons. When the guy on the phone said he was caught in London and need cash quick, she knew it was a scam. She called the cops [...]