Impostors have been using ads and images of legitimate companies headquartered in Connecticut as part of a scam to solicit money from people.

Scammers used images and letterheads of Athletic Brewing and Blue Triton, both headquartered in Connecticut, to lure people into a scam asking them to wrap their car in ads for the companies.

Respondents to the ads are sent a check for their services, but are asked to send a larger portion of the money to the person who will wrap their car in ads. However, the checks people receive are fraudulent, and instead, they send their own money.

Kristen Johnson, director of communications for the Better Business Bureau of Connecticut, listed some signs people should look for to identify the scams.

"Our first red flag that we want people to look for is unsolicited text messages or emails," Johnson explained. "If you get a text from a business, and you did not sign up for that text, that is a red flag. By law, businesses have to ask you before texting you have to sign up for those text messages."

While investigating the scam, Johnson knew there was trouble since Athletic Brewing is a B-Corporation, meaning a portion of its profits benefit charity. Blue Triton has informed the public to contact the Better Business Bureau if they see ads or receives messages asking people to wrap their car in ads for money. Johnson also recommends if people see suspicious ads for companies to contact the companies to ensure it is really them making this offer. She added it can also be helpful to check if the email address used to contact you is official, to determine if it is really from someone from the company.

Although some people have been fortunate enough to catch onto the scam before any money changes hands, Johnson pointed out others have not been as lucky.

Anita Paolucci, a recent retiree, saw an ad for Athletic Brewing asking to wrap her car, and thought it could be a good way to make some extra money.

"We had a big family wedding coming up in California, and I thought this will help pay for some of the cost of that," Paolucci recounted. "And I thought, 'Let me find out a little bit more.' Honestly, I was very suspicious about it, but for some reason I went along with it and continued to communicate with this individual."

It cost her around $2,400. Paolucci has not looked into recovering her money, but has seen the incident as a life lesson. She hopes to warn people about such scams, and encouraged them to be careful of what they are clicking on.

The holidays are the busiest time of the year for many people, including scammers.

Oregonians lost $136 million to holiday shopping scams last year, according to a new study. Although older people tend to lose higher dollar amounts to a scam, the Federal Trade Commission said scammers steal from young adults more often.

Carmel Perez Snyder, associate state director of AARP Oregon, said the most common cons this year revolve around online shopping, charities and gift cards. She acknowledged victims of scams can feel embarrassed but they should never be blamed for falling for a trap.

"A scam is just like somebody being held at gunpoint," Snyder explained. "They are robbed by very professional people who are very good at what they do."

Snyder pointed out crypto scams have been big this year, in which the victim is led through a series of steps, ending with all their money converted to cryptocurrency. Once the money has been converted, Snyder said, there is no way to trace it or get it back.

The best way to avoid scams, Snyder emphasized, is to never give personal information to anyone over the phone. If they claim they're from the IRS or your bank, hang up and call the agency or business to confirm. Snyder added if their request comes with a threat -- that you're going to be arrested or you need to keep something a secret -- it's a scam. The goal is to play on people's emotions so they aren't thinking clearly and are more likely to follow nefarious instructions.

"They get them that way by making them scared, having a sense of urgency, making them think 'this great deal is going to go away tomorrow,'" Snyder outlined.

Snyder stressed if you suspect a scam, it is important to report it. You can call the AARP Fraud Watch Helpline or the Federal Trade Commission and your local police. Even if they cannot do much about it, it is critical they are able to track the scams going on in the community.

Many folks are still expecting holiday packages this week, and the United States Postal Service is warning customers not to fall for what are known as smishing scams.

Smishing, said John Hyatt - a strategic communication specialist with the USPS - is the practice of sending fake text messages to smart phones, asking users to click on a link to resolve a zip code or other issue with a pending package.

He warned that personal data is what the sender is after.

"Basically, criminals trying to obtain personally identifying information about a person," said Hyatt, "such as accounts, user names, passwords, dates of birth, credit card numbers - things like that."

In 2020, the Internet Crime Complaint Center reported over 240,000 victims of smishing, phishing, and other fraudulent schemes - costing over $54 million, with the average person losing about $800.

Smishing texts can be relentless this time of year, but Hyatt said you should never follow the message prompts.

"When you get a suspicious text message," said Hyatt, "if you click on those links, it will take you to a website that could be downloading onto your phone - and once you submit that information then they use it for nefarious purposes."

Hyatt said you will only receive text messages from the USPS if you have gone online and registered for such services.

"You can sign up to receive text messages about a tracking number," said Hyatt, "or you can go into the tracking service and put the number in and then ask for text message updates, or even an email update on usps.com."

He said the USPS informed delivery program is being used by millions of Americans to receive legitimate messages about what packages are on the way.

Go to the USPS.com website for more information.




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As the new year quickly approaches, Wisconsin business owners and shoppers alike are bracing for the prospect of tariffs from a new administration that could affect both their livelihoods and families. Eau Claire Outdoors is a shop that sells gear for camping and backwoods experiences.

Kate Felton, shop owner, said she carries products manufactured both in the U.S. and elsewhere. She worries about shoppers being able to afford the brands she stocks if U.S. manufacturers increase prices as a result of tariff backlash.

"The Trump tariffs really couldn't come at a worse time for small businesses. Certainly, there's no good time for this to come - but this moment in particular is just a very dangerous moment for prices to increase on small businesses," she explained.

Eau Claire small businesses saw record-low sales this past year, she added, including the lowest turnout for Small Business Saturday in over a decade. Felton said the uncertainty has also made her and her husband reconsider plans to start a family. President-elect Donald Trump has promised to impose a new slate of tariffs as soon as he enters office in January.

Tariffs, or taxes on imports, are paid by businesses purchasing goods from other countries. Economists say tariffs are typically passed on to consumers of anything the U.S. imports, from electronics and home goods to gas.

Thomas Kemp, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire economics department chair, suspects a significant number of businesses in the state would feel the effects.

"Let's say a small Wisconsin business is dependent upon a Chinese supplier for, say, machinery and equipment, that's going to impact them significantly. Or if they're a retailer that sells primarily goods and services made in China, they're going to be impacted by this," he explained.

In 2022, Wisconsin, imports totaled $41-billion, the highest level recorded in state history, according to Wisconsin Economic Development. The state ranks 20th nationally for imports.