Marshfield Business Receives Government Grant Scam Call
Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 -- 10:45 AM
-A Marshfield business had a run in with an all too familiar scam recently.The Back Porch in downtown Marshfield recently received a phone call from someone claiming to be from Seattle, Washington offering free grant money that they wouldn't have to pay back. The caller said the business was chosen because they were picked form a list of people that have never filed bankruptcy.
Fortunately, the business realized it was scam and did not offer the caller any personal information. Jerad Albracht, a Senior Communications Specialist with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, said that this incident was a variation of the standard government grant scam.
The scam works similar to what the Back Porch experienced. They congratulate you on your eligibility and ask for your banking information so they can deposit the money directly into your account. As always, Wisconsin DATCP reminds residents to never give out their information without verifying the caller is legitimate. You should use DATCP as a resource and call their hotline if you receive a call like this or any other scam.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.