GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – The Better Business Bureau Serving Wisconsin is warning businesses about a recent scam targeting home improvement contractors in Northern Wisconsin.
Scammers are texting businesses from a 708 area code.
“They receive a text message from the Chicago or Northern Illinois area codes requesting a quote for a home improvement service,” said Susan Bach of the Better Business Bureau.
Two Northern Wisconsin businesses were contacted last week by scammers.
Both businesses are painters, but BBB believes all home improvement contractors could be targeted in this scam.
In addition, both businesses were told by the scammers that they were referred by the BBB, but that is untrue.
The scammer says he’s from the Chicago area and has a vacation home in Northern Wisconsin or is moving to the area. He asks for a quote from the business for a painting job, but will not allow the contractor to go inside the home. In one case, the location that the scammer was using was a home listed online for sale. Bach says the rest of the scam comes when money is requested.
“This is a classic overpayment scam where the scammer is going to send the business owner for over the amount and they ask the business owner to deposit the check and then send the overpayment amount back to them, said Bach. “The check is counterfeit and it is going to bounce.”
Fortunately, both business owners recognized the suspicious communications as a scam, contacted the BBB and didn’t lose any money.
“You should automatically be very suspicious if someone gives you an overpayment and asks you to return some of that.”
A check can bounce even after your bank allows you to withdraw cash from the deposit. Even if a bank representative tells you that a check has “cleared” you can’t be sure it won’t be detected as a fake weeks later. One thing you can be sure of is that you’ll be on the hook for any funds drawn against the amount.
Other tips to avoid being a business scam victim Never send money to people you don’t know and pay attention to where the call is coming from.
“Be wary of estimates and quotes if it is outside of your normal service area.”
To report a scam, go to BBB Scam Tracker.
