Tuesday, December 31, 2024
Monday, December 30, 2024
Are you getting calls labeled 'spam risk'? Here's what that means and some tips to stop them
Tamia Fowlkes
For the past two months, 91-year-old South Milwaukee resident Dorothy Wiza's phone has been bombarded with spam calls.
Starting in November, while Wiza ate meals at her kitchen table or sorted through the mail, her Panasonic wall phone rang and rang while flashing the message "Spam Risk" across the caller ID line.
At first, Wiza said she thought "Spam Risk" was the name of a company trying to reach her.
"They were calling up to five times a day and then seven times by Christmas," she said.
Wiza asked Public Investigator for a solution to the ongoing problem.
"This goes on every single day. I don't know how this can be stopped," Wiza said. "I can't take this anymore."
Like Wiza, many consumers field dozens of scam calls and robocalls every day. Americans receive an average of 4 billion robocalls per year, according an October report by the Federal Communications Commission Robocall Response team.
Scam calls are the federal agency's top consumer complaint.
"The FCC estimates the cost of these calls to consumers is at least $3 billion per year from lost time alone," Babette Boliek, the former FCC chief economist, wrote in a 2019 report.
Though scam calls can sometimes be hard to avoid, experts have shared a variety of tips to keep in mind.
How do I know if I am receiving a scam call?
The Federal Trade Commission's Office of the Inspector General details that scammers often employ four common tactics to keep people on a call.
- They pretend to be from prominent organizations that people are familiar with
- They state that there is a problem or emergency that puts you or a family member at physical or financial risk
- They pressure you to share personal information and threaten you with things like hacking, lawsuits or arrest
- They demand that you send them money through wire companies, cryptocurrency, payment apps or gift cards
How can I block unwanted spam calls or robocalls?
According to the Federal Trade Commission, the best way to block and prevent unwanted phone calls is through call blocking and call labeling.
Many types of call blocking software and devices are available for both cellphones and landlines to reduce the number of scam calls and robocalls you receive.
Meanwhile, many cellular devices are equipped with software or devices that scan for illegal robocalls or scam calls and alert you if an incoming call is coming from a suspicious number. This is known as call labeling.
What does it mean if I get a call that is labeled 'spam risk' or 'spam likely'?
Many phone providers have embedded software into cellular devices that scan for potential scam calls. These calls might appear on your caller ID with a label of "spam risk" or "spam likely."
It is up to you to decide whether or not to pick up the call. If you answer and the call appears to be a scam or robocall, you can report it to the FCC or Federal Trade Commission.
If certain phone numbers are improperly identified as spam calls, users can notify their phone provider for correction.
How can I block scam calls on my cellphone?
A variety of scam call blocking apps are available in mobile device app stores like the Apple Store, Google Play or the Galaxy Store. Some apps are free, while others charge fees for additional features. The Federal Trade Commission advises users to read the reviews on each app and choose which app best serves their needs.
Cellular providers like T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon and Spectrum also usually provide anti-scam services such as "Scam Shield" or "Spectrum Call Guard," which provide additional scam blocking and reporting features if you sign up for them.
If you report a suspicious caller on these platforms, the cellular companies can prevent those numbers from contacting other people in the future.
From the archives:Text message scams are on the rise in Wisconsin
How can I block spam calls on a traditional landline?
If you have a home phone or landline, call blocking devices can be attached to your phone. The systems are commonly sold at stores like Target, Walmart, Best Buy and other electronics retailers.
According to the FTC, these devices use a database of known scam numbers to track and block scam calls, but also allow users to add numbers to the device. Other call blocking devices require users to create their own list of numbers to block.
Call blocking devices can have a variety of features, including flashing a blinking light when receiving calls from a blocked or unwanted number, connecting scam callers to a recording, sending calls to voicemail or providing do-not-disturb hours that only allow certain numbers to get through.
Why do so many spam calls come from local area codes?
This is because of something called caller ID spoofing.
Caller ID spoofing is when a person falsifies the information displayed on caller ID to disguise their identity. This might be through presenting themselves as a prominent company or government agency, or by acquiring a number with a local area code.
These callers might attempt to steal money or valuable information by falsely presenting themselves on a call.
What is the government doing about scam calls?
Since 2021, the FCC has worked to implement laws that require all phone companies to implement robocall defense software for consumers.
“While there is no single cure-all when it comes to robocalls, having this technology in our networks is real progress and we will continue to push forward with this and every other tool we have to fight these junk calls," said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel in a June 2023 statement.
As of October, more than 4,000 companies have completed installation of the required robocall-fighting standards.
U.S. PIRG Education Fund, a consumer protection advocacy group, reported that scam robocalls and illegal telemarketing calls have dropped by 17% since 2021 due to the new FCC laws. However, consumers have since noticed an increase in robotexts, which are not monitored by the system.
Other resources to avoid scam calls
- If you receive a scam call, file a complaint with the FCC Consumer Complaint Center
- You can also report an unwanted call by completing a form at DoNotCall.gov
- Register your telephone numbers in the National Do Not Call Registry
- File complaints with the FCC by going to fcc.gov/complaints
Tamia Fowlkes is a Public Investigator reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She can be reached at tfowlkes@gannett.com.
About Public Investigator
Government corruption. Corporate wrongdoing. Consumer complaints. Medical scams. Public Investigator is a new initiative of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and its sister newsrooms across Wisconsin. Our team wants to hear your tips, chase the leads and uncover the truth. We'll investigate anywhere in Wisconsin. Send your tips to watchdog@journalsentinel.com or call 414-319-9061. You can also submit tips at jsonline.com/tips.
Sunday, December 29, 2024
U.S. homelessness surged a record 18% in 2024
Saturday, December 28, 2024
Friday, December 27, 2024
Appeals Court upholds $241,000 in legal fees to liberal group over Gableman records
Daniel Bice
A three-member Wisconsin appeals court has awarded $241,000 in legal fees and to the liberal group American Oversight in two open records lawsuits it brought against Assembly Speaker Robin Vos over the investigation he ordered into the 2020 presidential election.
The Waukesha-based District II Court of Appeals rejected Vos' efforts to reverse Dane County Circuit Court decisions ordering the state to pick up $143,211 in legal fees for one American Oversight case and $98,000 for a second one. The rulings make clear the costs will ultimately be paid by taxpayers.
In a separate ruling, the Appeals Court dismissed a contempt order issued against the state Office of Special Counsel for violating a court order directing it to provide American Oversight with all the records it sought from the agency. Former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, who oversaw the Office of Special Counsel, was also cleared of having to pay a $24,000 fine.
These cases were part of a series of litigation brought by American Oversight arguing Vos, Gableman and the Office of Special Counsel failed to turn over public records from the conservative jurist's probe into Democrat Joe Biden's victory over Republican Donald Trump in the 2020 election.
These legal fees will come on top of the $1.1 million that Gableman ran up as part of his election investigation. Vos fired Gableman in August 2022 after the probe failed to turn up any evidence of fraud.
In the first case against Vos, the Appeals Court rejected his argument that American Oversight had failed to file a summary of its bills in time to be paid by the state. The three-judge panel found the liberal group filed a tally of its costs within 30 days of the lower court's order, even though the court clerk didn't sign and post the bill until two months later.
In the second case, lawyers for Vos, the state Assembly and Assembly Chief Clerk Edward Blaze disputed that the state should pick up American Oversight's legal fees and costs because they had been improperly held in contempt and that the lower court had awarded excessive compensation.
The three-judge panel on Thursday found the circuit court judge had set out a detailed record showing Vos and Blazel had failed to comply with a court order to turn over all records requested by American Oversight. The panel also concluded that the fees were not out of line, even if the attorney was the in-house counsel for the nonprofit watchdog group.
"In truth, what the Assembly Appellants ask us to do is substitute our judgment for that of the circuit court, which we will not do," said the Appeals Court decision.
The three appellate judges reviewing the public records cases were two conservatives — Mark Gundrum and Maria Lazar — and one liberal, Lisa Neubauer.
In its third Thursday ruling, the Appeals Court reversed the contempt order issued by Dane County Circuit Judge Frank Remington against the state Office of Special Counsel for failing to comply with a court order directing it to turn over all the public records sought by American Oversight.
The appellate ruling also revoked the $24,000 in sanctions imposed on Gableman under the lower court ruling. Remington fined Gableman $2,000 a day to compel Gableman's compliance with state open records law. It took 12 days between the court's order and the date of Gableman's June 28, 2022, affidavit.
In its 25-page decision, the Appeals Court concluded that the Office of Special Counsel was not given enough time to respond to American Oversight's contempt claim before a June 10, 2022, hearing. The Office of Special Counsel had hoped to put staffer Zakory Niemierowicz on the stand to fight the claim, but the appellate judges said Niemierowicz was given less than two days to hire an attorney before testifying.
Even so, the three-judge panel said it would be pointless to send the case back to circuit court for further proceedings on the contempt claim because American Oversight has obtained all the records it sought.
"American Oversight has been in possession of all responsive records since early April 2022," the Appeals Court ruling said. "Remanding this matter would consume scarce judicial resources with no practical benefit to American Oversight or to the public."
In response to the ruling, Chioma Chukwu, interim executive director of American Oversight, said the appellate court did not challenge the lower court's ruling that the Office of Special Counsel had violated Wisconsin's open records law. Chukwu said the state agency also admitted in a settlement earlier this year it violated the state law for retaining records.
"This decision, based merely on procedural grounds, does nothing to absolve OSC of its well-documented history of destroying public records and dismal record-keeping practices," Chukwu said in a statement on Friday.
Vos did not respond to a request for comment.
Contact Daniel Bice at (414) 313-6684 or dbice@jrn.com. Follow him on X at @DanielBice or on Facebook at fb.me/daniel.bice.
Thursday, December 26, 2024
Milwaukee will start 2025 with the sun rising after 7 a.m.: What to know
Maia Pandey
On Dec. 31, the sun will rise at 7:23 a.m. in Milwaukee — the latest sunrise the city has seen since Jan. 6, 2024, according to timeanddate.com. In fact, starting New Year's Eve, Milwaukee will see a string of late sunrises that will last through the first week of 2025.
After that, the sun will start rising earlier, as the days keep getting longer in Milwaukee. Since Dec. 21, which was the shortest day of the year, the city has been gradually regaining daylight.
Here's what else to know about the shifting daylight hours in Milwaukee.
When are Milwaukee latest sunrises of 2025?
Here's when Milwaukee will see its latest sunrises in 2025:
- Jan. 1, 2025: sunrise at 7:23 a.m., sunset at 4:27 p.m.
- Jan. 2, 2025: sunrise at 7:23 a.m., sunset at 4:28 p.m.
- Jan. 3, 2025: sunrise at 7:23 a.m., sunset at 4:29 p.m.
- Jan. 4, 2025: sunrise at 7:23 a.m., sunset at 4:30 p.m.
- Jan. 5, 2025: sunrise at 7:23 a.m., sunset at 4:31 p.m.
- Dec. 31, 2025: sunrise at 7:23 a.m., sunset at 4:26 p.m.
When are Milwaukee's earliest sunrises of 2025?
Milwaukee will see its earliest sunrises of 2025 in mid-June — just ahead of the summer solstice, or the longest day of the year:
- June 12, 2025: sunrise at 5:11 a.m., sunset at 8:31 p.m.
- June 13, 2025: sunrise at 5:11 a.m., sunset at 8:32 p.m.
- June 14, 2025: sunrise at 5:11 a.m., sunset at 8:32 p.m.
- June 16, 2025: sunrise at 5:11 a.m., sunset at 8:33 p.m.
- June 17, 2025: sunrise at 5:11 a.m., sunset at 8:33 p.m.
When is Milwaukee’s longest day of 2025?
Milwaukee’s longest day was on Thursday, June 20 this year and will fall on Friday, June 20 next year.
Milwaukee saw 15 hours and 21 minutes of daylight during 2024’s summer solstice, with the sun rising at 5:12 a.m. and setting at 8:34 p.m.
When will the sun start setting after 5 p.m. in Wisconsin?
In 2025, the first sunset after 5 p.m. in Milwaukee will be on Wednesday, Jan. 29. On this day, the sun will rise at 7:09 a.m. and set at 5 p.m. — giving Milwaukee nine hours and 51 minutes of daylight.
Cailey Gleeson contributed to this report.
2 alleged shoplifters learn retail crime is now a felony in California | NewsNation Now | NewsNation
Wednesday, December 25, 2024
Child, 6, was shot in Milwaukee on Christmas morning
Chris Ramirez
A 6-year-old child was shot on Christmas morning, and Milwaukee police are investigating.
The shooting occurred just before 6 a.m. Wednesday on the 6100 block of N. 35th Street. The child was taken to a local hospital and was being treated for serious injuries.
More:8-year-old child, two adults shot during argument in Milwaukee, police say
The circumstances leading up to the shooting are under investigation, police said in a statement Wednesday.
No arrests have been made.
The investigation into this incident is ongoing, and Milwaukee police continue to seek an unknown suspect or suspects.
More:4-year-old shot and wounded 9-year-old, Milwaukee police say
Anyone with information regarding the case should contact the Milwaukee Police Department at (414) 935-7360 or, to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (414) 224-Tips or P3 Tips.
Where to find free gun locks
- United Neighborhood Center of Milwaukee, 1609 W. North Ave.
- City on a Hill, 2224 W. Kilbourn Ave., during outreach events on the second Saturday of each month.
- Milwaukee Christian Center, 807 S. 14th St, at its food pantry, which operates from 1 to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
- Neighborhood House of Milwaukee, 2819 W. Richardson Place.
- Neu-Life Community Development, 2014 W. North Ave.
- Silver Spring Neighborhood Center, 5460 N. 64th St.
- COA Youth and Family Centers, 909 E. Garfield Ave. and 2320 W. Burleigh St.
- Northcott Neighborhood House, 2460 N. Sixth St.
- Journey House, 2110 W. Scott St.
- All Milwaukee Fire Department stations and health centers run by the Milwaukee Health Department also hand out free gun locks. Directories for fire stations and health centers are available online.
Tuesday, December 24, 2024
Monday, December 23, 2024
Pronoun use at center of rape case involving former prisoner in California
Sunday, December 22, 2024
Robin Vos to create government efficiency committee inspired by Elon Musk's DOGE
Laura SchulteHope Karnopp
MADISON - A new Assembly committee will focus in the next session on government efficiency, inspired by a similar federal department to be run in part by Elon Musk.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said in a Wednesday interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the new committee will be known as GOAT: Governmental Oversight, Accountability and Transparency Committee.
"That's going to focus on kind of returning to our roots. Republicans have always been reformers. We are the ones who invented workers compensation all the way up until school choice," he said. "But we have more work to do."
Rep. Amanda Nedweski, R-Pleasant Prairie, will chair the new committee. Vos said using technology such as artificial intelligence, the committee will explore ways to improve services for Wisconsinites in more cost-effective ways.
"I think that we can look at a lot of ideas and try to find ways to make government do a better job than we currently are," he said. "I'm super excited that we're going to now kind of focus on, not just how do we layer more things on, but how do we make the things that we already have work better."
Trump Administration's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, is to be led by Musk and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
Vos unworried about Democratic seats gained this year
Vos weighed in on several other topics in an interview recapping 2024 in Wisconsin, including the 10 seats Democrats gained in the Assembly in November.
Vos said he wasn't worried about the gains, and said the narrower majority may lead to more disagreements between Republicans and Democrats.
"I mean, the challenge that we see — and take Congress as an example — the narrower the margin, the less that gets accomplished. And I'm fearful that that's the way it'll be here," he said. "But the good news for Republicans is that we've had wide margins and narrow margins. We've always focused on generating consensus."
More:A more evenly split state Legislature will convene next year. Will it lead to compromise?
Vos said that while many of the newer Democratic members will need to get their feet under them and learn about how the Assembly works, Republicans will hit the ground running.
"Most of our people are returning. They've been here for a while. They know how the place works," he said. "So we're going to keep working on doing the good things for the state of Wisconsin."
Democrats see their gains in 2024 as putting them in a position to gain the Assembly majority in 2026. Vos said he doesn't see that happening.
Twelve seats are seen as competitive, evenly between the two parties, in 2026.
"In order to get the majority, they'd have to win five of the six. I don't think that's going to happen," he said.
In an interview with the Journal Sentinel earlier this month, Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer expressed confidence Democrats would pick up a majority in the Assembly in 2026.
"In a difficult year for Democrats, I think we did pretty well," Neubauer said. "We really built infrastructure in parts of the state where we had not had competitive legislative races in quite some time."
Tax cuts, especially for retirees, will be a focus for Republicans
When asked about top priorities for the Assembly in the upcoming year, Vos said finding ways to return the $4 billion surplus to taxpayers is No. 1.
Vos said Republicans would focus on passing tax cuts into law at the beginning of the session, before budget work begins. Vos indicated his party would again propose exempting up to $75,000 of retirees' income, which Evers vetoed last year.
"We're not going to begin spending money until we know how much is in the till," Vos said. "In my mind, all tax cuts are good. There's none that are bad. I think the one that would have the best, most positive impact would be that retiree income tax reduction."
Asked on WISN-TV's "Upfront" earlier this month if he'd consider signing a Republican tax cut plan, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers said he's focused on crafting his state budget proposal. He said it's "hard to say" if he'd sign something similar to Republicans' tax cut bill that he vetoed last year.
"If (Republicans') idea is that we're going to send every dollar back and run a deficit, that's obviously stupid," Evers said when asked if the state's $4 billion surplus should be returned to taxpayers.
Neubauer expressed a similar stance, referencing a recent nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum report that found the state is in strong financial shape but cautioned lawmakers against big moves, especially large tax cuts or spending increases.
"(We) need to be thinking about the long-term and making sure that any decisions we make — for example, a tax cut — do not undermine our long-term ability as a state to fund essential services," Neubauer said.
At a virtual WisPolitics forum this week, Neubauer said Democrats are "very open to considering a tax cut that is targeted, that is focused on middle class and working families." But she said Democrats would oppose a plan that cuts taxes for the state's wealthiest residents.
New Senate President Mary Felzkowski, a Republican from Tomahawk, noted during the forum that Evers rejected Republicans' attempts to pass tax cuts for retirees and families making up to $150,000 per year.
"If Gov. Evers continues to move the needle on what middle class is, then we're kind of at a loss," Felzkowski said. "I'm hoping that that needle doesn't move again."
A few Democrats voted for the portion that would have exempted up to $75,000 in retirement income. Evers said the tax cut package would have likely forced the state to partially or fully drain its rainy day fund.
More:Has Evers vetoed multiple GOP middle-class tax cut proposals this year? Here’s what we found.
Laura Schulte can be reached at leschulte@jrn.com and on X @SchulteLaura.
Posts
