BARRON COUNTY — The Barron County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a surge in scams that have cost locals nearly $50,000, urging the public to stay vigilant and avoid falling victim to fraudulent schemes.
Editor’s note: Sheriff Fitzgerald will be discussing this and answering questions from viewers on Tuesday’s ‘Positive Tuesday w/ Ben & Fitzy’ live show.
PRESS RELEASE
The Barron County Sheriff’s Department would like to alert the public about several scams that have taken place over the past couple of months with the loss of almost $50,000 to residents in Barron County.
Scams change daily in our area so the best bet is to:
- Never give out any information when someone calls you
- Never pay cash, gift cards or money orders or bit coin
- If it is too good to be true, then it probably is
- We need everyone to hang up or don’t answer if you do not know the number
Some of the scams we have seen are:
Computer Virus - A caller or email you get says your computer has a virus, or has explicit material on it and we can help you remove it but we need you to pay in bit coin or gift cards.
- If you think there is something wrong with your computer take it to a local computer shop.
Grandparent Scam - Your grandchild is in jail or needs a tow truck and we will have a courier pick up the money or you can pay with a gift card.
- Always ask to speak with them or get a call back number and reach out to other family to verify and never pay in gift card
Publisher Clearing House - If you win a prize, you don’t have to pay the tax ahead of time or a fee to get your winnings.
- If it is too good to be true - then it probably is. Do not pay in gift cards/cash/bit coin or any form that they ask for
Rental/Property Scams - Always view the property in person before paying any down payment
- Never pay without seeing the property.
- It is suggested that property owners sign up with our Register of Deeds program to make sure your property is protected against possible fraudulent recordings at propertyfraudalert.com.
Pictures/Extortion cases - Caller threatens to release indecent pictures of you unless a fee is paid.
- Never take pictures of yourself in a compromised position and send it off to anyone for any reason.
All of these scams originate from outside the US and once you send a form of payment, it usually goes to a foreign bank account and gets transferred several more times, making it impossible to track or recover.
Join our Scam Squad and Hang Up IF....
- Caller Threatens or scares you
- Caller asks you to write or pay with gift cards
- Caller claims to be a grandchild who needs money
There are many more scams out there. Please help us by talking about these and any others with your family, friends and neighbors.
-- Per Chris Fitzgerald, Barron County Sheriff
Last Update: Mar 03, 2025 3:23 pm CST
