A phone with an unknown caller ID on August 15, 2022. This is what a scam call might look like based on the caller ID. (WLUK)
(WTAQ-WLUK) — Northeast Wisconsin residents are reporting more and more scam calls and texts; business owners say it’s making work harder.
“How can you actively help customers while trying to decline calls at the same time,” said Kahlie Hill, Hey Soup Sister owner.
“Just taking my time away from being able to assist the children at the center here and the staff that I have was very disruptive,” said Lori Krause, Happy Hearts Childcare Center Owner/Director.
Both Hill and Krause say after they have answered, the people on the line have tried to say their business isn’t visible on Google. Hill says she has been asked to provide credit card numbers and other financial information.
It’s not just calls.
The Pulaski Police Department warning residents on Facebook about a “final enforcement text.”
In it they remind residents courts in Wisconsin will not send enforcement notices by text, demand payment through QR codes or random links, or threaten immediate enforcement via unsolicited messages.
But it’s not always so easy to tell what’s a scam and what isn’t.
“A lot of times it’s from a 920 area code, so it looks like a local number,” said Hill.
“I was working on really building up my enrollment and I’d get excited with every phone call that would come in only to find out that there’s a spammer on the other end of the line,” said Krause.
One tip is to slow down. Scammers often demand immediate action.
“They make it sound very urgent and like it’s going to be a life-or-death type situation,” said Hill.
To block unwanted calls, the Federal Trade Commission suggests you download a call-blocking app, check built-in features of your phone, and see what services your provider offers.
For scam texts, the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association says you should forward the messages to 7726.
The nonprofit says, “providers use information reported by customers through 7726 to further calibrate spam filters and other sophisticated tools to protect consumers from spam messages.”
Law enforcement also says if you’ve provided your financial information, to contact your bank immediately.
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