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During back-to-school shopping season, scammers are targeting online shoppers through fake websites and social media ads offering counterfeit or non-existent items at appealing prices. The Better Business Bureau reports numerous complaints including cases where consumers lost money purchasing counterfeit Labubbi dolls ($88) and fake brand-name shoes, with some websites disappearing after the transaction. Consumers are advised to verify website legitimacy, use credit cards for protection, research sellers and reviews, examine URLs carefully, and report suspicious activity to the BBB Scam Tracker or FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Ankurkumar Patel, a 41-year-old Brookfield man, was indicted for operating a "Phantom Hacker Scam" that defrauded elderly victims across multiple states of over $1 million. The scheme involved fraudsters posing as customer service agents or law enforcement officers who convinced victims their accounts were compromised, then directed them to transfer cash or gold to supposedly safe accounts before the funds were laundered through co-conspirators. Patel faces up to 20 years in prison and substantial fines if convicted of money laundering conspiracy and substantive money laundering charges.

Multiple Milwaukee food truck operators were targeted by scammers who posed as event organizers and demanded vendor fees ($500 per incident) via peer-to-peer payment apps to secure spots at festivals and events that often did not exist. Once victims sent money through these apps, the funds were generally unrecoverable, and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection advised vendors to verify events independently and avoid unsolicited communications before making payments.

Ankurkumar Patel, a Brookfield man, was indicted on money laundering charges for his role in a "phantom hacker scheme" that defrauded elderly victims across multiple states by posing as customer service and law enforcement agents to trick victims into transferring funds. Patel allegedly personally retrieved over $1 million from victims and conspired to launder the money through anonymous transactions, with one victim from Sheboygan identified in the case. He faces up to 20 years imprisonment and fines up to $500,000 if convicted on the money laundering conspiracy charge.

Precious Cruse, owner of Caring Through Love, a prenatal care coordination company, was convicted on September 12, 2025, of seventeen federal charges including healthcare fraud, identity theft, and money laundering for exploiting vulnerable pregnant women and new mothers. Cruse lured participants with kickbacks of free baby items, then fraudulently submitted claims to Medicaid for services never provided, while using the proceeds to finance a luxury lifestyle. She faces a mandatory minimum of 2 years and up to 20 years imprisonment, with sentencing scheduled for January 20, 2026.

Wisconsin Rapids Police warned of a surge in scams targeting older residents, in which victims were deceived by fraudsters posing as government officials or banks via unsolicited phone calls, emails, and texts and pressured to move money into cryptocurrency wallets or gift cards. Notable cases included one resident losing $600,000 converted to Bitcoin and sent overseas, another depositing $30,000 into a Bitcoin ATM, and a third handing $14,000 in cash directly to a scammer. Police advised residents that legitimate government agencies and businesses never demand payment in Bitcoin, gift cards, or cash, and urged victims to verify requests through trusted sources and contact law enforcement before sending money.

Wisconsin Rapids Police reported a surge in financial scams targeting older residents, with victims losing between $14,000 and $600,000. Scammers posing as government officials or banks pressured victims via unsolicited calls, emails, and texts to transfer money through cryptocurrency wallets or gift cards, with one victim's $600,000 quickly converted to Bitcoin and sent overseas. Authorities advise that legitimate organizations never demand payment in Bitcoin, gift cards, or cash, and urge residents to verify requests through trusted sources before sending money.

This article discusses common car dealership scams and deceptive practices that affect consumers, including bait-and-switch advertising, lowball trade-in offers, hidden fees, and yo-yo financing. A 2024 survey found that 76% of Americans distrust car dealership pricing honesty, and auto sales ranked as the top industry for consumer complaints in 2022. The article provides guidance on avoiding these tactics, including researching vehicle prices beforehand, understanding all fees and features, and comparing loan rates before finalizing a purchase.

Wisconsin Rapids police warned of a surge in scams targeting older residents, with victims losing tens of thousands of dollars through schemes where fraudsters impersonated government officials and banks via unsolicited calls, emails, and texts to convince victims to transfer funds via cryptocurrency or gift cards. Notable cases included a $600,000 Bitcoin conversion, a $30,000 Bitcoin ATM deposit, and a $14,000 cash handoff, with authorities noting that cryptocurrency transfers and overseas origins make these scams difficult to trace. Police advised residents that legitimate agencies never demand payment in Bitcoin, gift cards, or cash, and urged potential victims to verify requests through trusted sources and contact law enforcement before sending money.

**Scam Jam Educational Event - October 16, 2025** AARP Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Elder Justice Coalition hosted a Scam Jam awareness event at UW-Green Bay to educate attendees about current scams and connect them with fraud-fighting professionals. The event featured a resource fair with multiple Wisconsin organizations including AARP's Fraud Watch Network, the Better Business Bureau, state consumer protection agencies, and local support services, all offering free fraud prevention information, complaint filing assistance, and community presentations.

The FBI reports that cryptocurrency ATM scams resulted in nearly $250 million in losses in 2024, more than double the previous year, with scammers primarily using romance, impostor, and financial scams to trick victims into depositing money. An 85-year-old woman in Wisconsin was approached by police while being manipulated into depositing tens of thousands of dollars into a Bitcoin ATM after being told her bank account was hacked. Iowa's investigation found that 97% of crypto ATM transactions were scams, with victims losing over $20 million in less than three years, while companies operating these machines profit by taking up to 23% per transaction.

On October 16, 2025, AARP Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Elder Justice Coalition hosted a Scam Jam educational event at UW-Green Bay to inform attendees about current fraud schemes and connect them with anti-fraud professionals. The event featured a resource fair with multiple Wisconsin organizations dedicated to combating elder fraud, including AARP's Fraud Watch Network, the Better Business Bureau, state consumer protection agencies, and victim support services, all providing free educational materials, complaint filing assistance, and community presentations.

AARP Wisconsin's Senior Program Specialist Courtney Anclam discusses the prevalence of scams targeting elderly individuals and strategies to protect seniors from fraud. The segment highlights that elderly people are frequent targets of scammers and emphasizes AARP's efforts to address and prevent elder fraud.