GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – While the holidays bring joy and good tidings, they’re also a prime opportunity for bad actors looking to take advantage of those good feelings.
Wisconsin Public Service and WeEnergies are teaming up with local police departments to help prevent digital scams.
Amid the hustle and bustle of the holidays, the agencies see an uptick in the number of scams. Matt Cullen, spokesperson for WPS, said energy bills are a prime ruse for would-be criminals.
“The tactics that we often see them using are, threatening to disconnect a customer’s energy service in a short amount of time, demanding that they make an immediate payment to them,” Cullen said.
He added that scam callers often hide their caller ID — or, in some cases, alter it — so that they appear as Wisconsin Public Service.
“The best step that they can do is to hang the phone up right away. It’s not rude, it’s a safe step to take. We would rather you hang up on a call that actually is coming from WPS, rather than fall victim to one of these scam attempts,” he said.
Meghan Cash with the Appleton Police Department told FOX 11 oftentimes scammers can come off as threatening. “With scammers, this is the one time that you can say goodbye to that Midwest nice, just for a minute, and say no. Don’t allow that person to continue to threaten you.”
Cash said utility scams can take many forms, and it’s important to be assertive. “Most of the scams that are happening are related to things that people are needing to have an immediate action. So, slowing down, taking the time, be annoying, ask additional questions.”
She said if you’re ever worried about if a call is legitimate, reach out to the company directly and don’t hesitate to contact local law enforcement.
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