(UNDATED) People across Wisconsin are getting emails and texts that look official — and demand hundreds of dollars in taxes or fees that don’t exist.
State consumer officials say scammers are now posing as local governments and sending messages that appear to come from city or municipal offices. The goal is to scare people into wiring money.
“We’ve again been contacted by a local municipality that indicates they are being impersonated and messages are being sent to their citizens in their communities,” said Michelle Reinen, administrator of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection’s Division of Trade and Consumer Protection.
Reinen said scammers have impersonated several local government entities and even specific officials. The emails and texts often include government logos, real street addresses and official-sounding titles.
“They’re sending emails and text messages and attempting to convince people and businesses to wire them money for fake tax bills and other fees, such as building permits and zoning submissions,” Reinen said. “These are fraudulent messages.”
The amounts vary, but most fall in the hundreds of dollars. Some messages demand around $100. Others claim a few hundred dollars — sometimes as much as $500 — is owed.
“They have fraudulent instructions to wire money to government entities,” Reinen said. “So we’re hopeful that these will be recognized as red flags.”
One major warning sign is the demand for payment by wire transfer. Government offices typically don’t request taxes or fees that way, especially through unsolicited emails or text messages.
If you receive a suspicious message, Reinen says the safest first step is simple.
“Delete it,” she said.
But if you’re worried it might be legitimate, she recommends slowing down before taking any action.
“Verify the contact information with your local government organizations and officials first,” Reinen said. “Pause before you take any action, and take a drive down to your local government office and verify that the bill or the invoice request is legitimate before paying it.”
Reinen spoke with our sister station 620 WTMJ.
Anyone who receives one of these messages can report it to DATCP’s Consumer Protection division at 800-422-7128 or online at datcp.wi.gov.
