MADISON, Wis. – Attorney General Brad Schimel is warning citizens about spoof phone calls from people claiming to be police, including the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI).

“If you receive a call from someone claiming to be law enforcement and something doesn’t seem right, you should contact their non-emergency number and they can easily verify the validity,” said Attorney General Schimel. “DCI, or any other law enforcement agency, will never call and request payment over the phone. If you do receive a call like this, do not give out your personal information.”

A few victims alerted DCI they received calls that appeared to be from DCI’s main phone number. The caller falsely claimed to be with the FBI, and told the victim they needed to deposit money into the caller’s bank account. These callers are neither DCI nor the FBI, and you should not give out any personal information to them.

It is not uncommon for people to receive similar calls with scammers asking for payment and claiming to be U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), FBI, IRS, and local law enforcement agencies. In some cases, these scammers have even targeted international students at universities and colleges in Wisconsin. These calls are illegitimate.

If you have received, or do receive, a call like this, you should do the following:

  • Do not give out your personal information and hang up immediately.
  • Notify your banking institution(s).
  • Contact the three major credit bureaus and request an alert be put on your file.
  • If you feel you are in immediate danger, or have already given out your banking information, contact your local law enforcement.
  • File a complaint through the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center: https://www.ic3.gov.
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