WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI (WSAU) - Several scams are being reported around central Wisconsin, and the scammers are trying to get your personal information. Lt. Kevin Schwartz is with the Wisconsin Rapids Police Department. He says complaints have been called in to the police and the sheriff’s department by a party claiming to represent a business. “The Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune notified us that they were getting phone calls of citizens inquiring if the Tribune had been calling, and asking for personal information like social security numbers. We checked with Wood County Central Dispatch, and they had been receiving calls also. At that point in time, we put out a notification on our Facebook page and a Nextel alert notifying the public.”
When it comes to giving up your personal information, Schwartz says you should only give your information to people you know and trust. “Never give out personal information over the phone, especially to people to people that are calling you claiming to be associated with your bank or other association that you do business with.”
Whenever you get a call asking for your personal information, you should report it to local law enforcement or the state’s Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection.