Tips to Protect Against Scam Artists
Great tips and tools you can use to combat scam artists and protect yourself:
- Get a free copy of your credit report. Look for irregularities and unexpected lines of credit – these are signs that you may be the victim of identity theft. Visit www.annualcreditreport.comor call 877-322-8228 to order a copy from each of the three major credit bureaus.
- Place a security freeze or fraud alert on your credit report as added protection against identity theft. A credit freeze locks down your credit. A fraud alert requires businesses to take extra reasonable steps to verify your identity before issuing a line of credit or service. More details and a freeze request letter are available in this DATCP fact sheet: http://datcp.wi.gov/uploads/Consumer/pdf/IDTheftCreditFreezeFAQ632.pdf.
- Sign up for the Do Not Call Registry. Unsolicited sales calls to numbers on the registry are illegal, so if you receive one you will know that it is either a scam or is from a business you may not want to work with. Visit Do Not Call National Registry to add your residential number.
- Get a free copy of DATCP’s Senior Guide – a booklet that highlights common scams and provides consumer resource information. Download a copy from the DATCP website or request a copy by mail by calling the Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-422-7128.
- Contact the Consumer Protection Hotline with questions about a consumer issue or to inquire about a business. Reach the Hotline by phone at 800-422-7128 or send an e-mail to datcphotline@wisconsin.gov.
- Follow the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CFPB.