The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development is warning about a sophisticated email scam targeting injured workers, mostly Spanish-speaking individuals.
The DWD says fraudsters are sending emails that may appear legitimate. Scammers trick victims into believing they won workers' compensation money, but must pay fees to collect it. In some cases, scammers are even holding bogus court sessions using Zoom.
WATCH: Wisconsin DWD warns of workers' compensation scam
The scams reportedly originate from fake agencies using names such as the "Workers' Compensation Board," with emails usually coming from ".org" domains such as "@workcompcourt.org." Victims are instructed to attend an "online worker's compensation hearing" on a video conferencing platform such as WhatsApp, Zoom, or Teams. The fraudulent hearing involves a judge, bailiff, and attorneys.
Workers, employers, and insurance carriers should know that the Wisconsin Worker's Compensation Division schedules hearings only through written letters. All attorneys handling workers' compensation cases in Wisconsin must be licensed to practice law in Wisconsin. All telephone numbers on correspondence from the DWD will have Wisconsin area codes.
Anyone who receives suspicious communication should contact a workers' compensation specialist at 608-266-1340. For more information on how to recognize and report fraudulent activities related to workers' compensation, visit dwd.wisconsin.gov/wc/fraud.
Anyone who believes they have been a victim of identity theft should contact the Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-422-7128, DATCPHotline@Wisconsin.gov, or online at datcp.wi.gov.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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