Latest news with #Contact6
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Contact 6 helps consumers save $62,000 in April 2025
The Brief Contact 6 helped a Caledonia man get a refund for a snowblower after he says it stopped working after the first winter. A Grafton man credits Contact 6 with helping him get five fraudulent overseas charges dropped from his credit card. A Menomonee Falls man says Contact 6 helped him get a medical bill waived after a billing mistake. It was his second resolution through Contact 6. CALEDONIA, Wis. - Frustrated with customer service, three men decided they'd had enough. Their problems were different, but they all found relief with Contact 6's help. What we know After more than two years and dozens of bad batteries, Michael Hickman gave up on this snowblower. He says the snowblower stopped working after one season. The company responded by sending him new batteries repeatedly. "When those batteries came. none of them worked," said Hickman. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android The Caledonia man says the company sent him a total of 32 batteries. The snowblower uses four. He was also sent new charging stations and two replacement snowblowers. "Destroy the snowblower," Hickman recalled the company telling him. Hickman sent the company a video of him destroying its products with a sledgehammer. Hickman says the third time he was asked to dismantle the snowblower, his fiancé had a suggestion. "Why don't you actually Contact 6?" recalled Hickman. "I said, 'You're right. I am.'" Hickman says the company went from offering in-store credit only to sending him a full refund. "You guys are worth getting in contact with," said Hickman. "You guys get this job done." By the numbers Hickman's refund of $1,048 is among the 15 cases that consumer say Contact 6 helped to resolve in April. Working behind the scenes, Contact 6's associate producer, Annette, helped FOX6 viewers save $62,006.15. What we know Among those resolutions was Ken Spitz's case. The Grafton man wrote to Contact 6 after discovering four fraudulent overseas charges to his credit card. "I was being transferred to different departments and I wasn't getting the answers that I wanted," recalled Spitz. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News Contact 6 wrote to Spitz's bank and the charges amounting to $3,997.46 were dropped. "It gave me some relief," said Spitz. "I was very pleased by the outcome." What we know Bruce Buenning of Menomonee Falls also found relief through Contact 6 after getting a $907 renal ultrasound bill. Buenning says his insurance had no record of the procedure. Buenning says he called customer service repeatedly, but the bill was resent. "It was getting really frustrating especially when they said they were going to collections on me," said Buenning. Contact 6 reached out to the hospital system on his behalf. The bill was written off. "They called me and said they had processed the claim incorrectly," said Buenning. "This was a great relief off my mind." It was Buenning's second resolution with the assistance of Contact 6. What you can do To find out if Contact 6 can help you with a consumer problem, simply file a complaint. The Source Information for this report comes from interviews and documentation provided by Michael Hickman, Ken Spitz and Bruce Buenning. Additional information was submitted by consumers and businesses to the Contact 6 case files.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Racine Theatre Guild warns ticket resellers hike up prices
The Brief The Racine Theatre Guild is warning its audience against overpaying for tickets. Tickets to its performance of "Legally Blonde: The Musical" are available on StubHub for $635 a seat. The Racine Theatre Guild's top ticket price is $22. Contact 6 found other ticket reselling websites listing tickets for $119, $69 and $71. RACINE, Wis. - Tickets are available online for hundreds of dollars. Not for Beyonce's global tour, but for the Racine Theatre Guild's upcoming show. With just weeks until opening night, the theater is warning its audience not to overpay for tickets. Local perspective The Racine Theatre Guild, a local nonprofit, knows how to pinch pennies. The people who build the theater's sets are volunteers. Its set pieces have been on stage before, just under a different coat of paint. Its costumes come from thrift stores or the costume stock at Union Grove High School. About 400 people volunteer at the theater every year. It's all part of the theater's commitment to keeping its ticket prices affordable. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android "We try to reuse to save money," said Joycelyn Fish, Racine Theatre Guild's director of marketing and development. "We want people to feel like this is a place they can come. They can afford to come here. They can bring the whole family." By the numbers The Racine Theatre Guild's top ticket price is $22. However, Fish was shocked to learn that tickets for its upcoming performance of "Legally Blonde: The Musical" are available on StubHub for $635 a seat. "That's astronomically expensive," said Fish. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News Contact 6 found tickets for the same Legally Blonde shows on other ticket reselling platforms, too, listed for $119, $69 and $71. Tickets are still available through the Racine Theatre Guild's website for a fraction of the cost. "None of it is illegal," said Fish. "It is all totally valid and these people can just price gouge and swindle people out of their money," said Fish. The other side StubHub doesn't control the prices on its website. Its users can list whatever price they choose when reselling tickets. That doesn't mean someone will actually buy them. A StubHub spokesperson told Contact 6: "StubHub is a trusted resale platform where fans can buy and sell tickets safely and securely, with every purchase backed by our FanProtect Guarantee." What they're saying Alex Milovic, an associate professor in Marquette University's marketing department, said it's up to the ticket buyer to shop around. "There are laws around scalping tickets on premises, things around having to show the face value of your ticket. Otherwise, it really is, kind of, you're on your own," said Milovic. "It's really up to the consumer to say, 'How much is too much?'" Dig deeper The Racine Theatre Guild told Contact 6 this is an ongoing program. Recently, it became aware of four people who spent more than $100 a seat to see its Christmas show. "There's no way for me to report (the prices) as fraudulent," said Fish. "There's no way for me to have them take it down." Fish asked StubHub customer service to remove the "Legally Blonde" tickets. It didn't. "It's really on us to try and educate the public," said Fish. "We want to protect our patrons." Contact 6 didn't hear back from the other ticket reselling websites with prices listed well-above $22. What you can do To avoid being overcharged on any ticket, go to a venue's website first. Buying directly from a venue can also save you dozens, even hundreds of dollars in extra fees. The Source Information for this report comes from Joycelyn Fish, Alex Milovic and Contact 6 research into online ticket resellers.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Toll, auto scams target Wisconsin consumers in April 2025
The Brief People in Wisconsin are being inundated by scam texts about overdue tolls. The texts include links to an impostor's website for payment. If you get a text about tolls, slow down. Notice of a real tollway payment comes by mail. Scammers are targeting people who list cars for sale on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. The scammer sends a check for too much money, then asks the seller to send back the difference. The fake check eventually bounces, leaving the seller out their money. MILWAUKEE - Whether it's a text, phone call or Facebook message, scammers are trying to con Wisconsin consumers from every angle. What we know One common scam is almost as irritating as traffic congestion: text messages from fake tollways. Wisconsin Consumer Protection says texts about overdue tolls are inundating people's phones. "They're not just receiving one message, but multiple messages," said Michelle Reinen, administrator of the Wisconsin Division of Trade and Consumer Protection. The messages include a link to where the driver can make a payment. Reinen says the link leads to the impostor's website. She says the scammers are also after personally identifying information. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android One scam text says, "Your toll balance is outstanding. If you fail to pay ... you will face penalties or legal action." Reinen says if you get one of these texts: slow down. Notice of a real toll payment comes by mail. "Report this to your telecommunications provider, so they can try and stop the messages from coming through," said Reinen. What we know Another scam targets people listing cars for sale on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. The scammer responds to a listing, saying they're interested but don't live nearby. The scammer sends a check asking the seller hold the vehicle until they can pick it up. The scammer's check is for too much money, so they ask the seller to send the difference back. "Lo and behold, the check is fake," said Reinen. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News Once the check is deposited, the scammer's money temporarily shows up in the seller's bank account. Later on, the check bounces, leaving the car seller out their money. The bank may also charge a penalty for depositing the fake check. A general rule: never accept a check for more than the selling price. "Do business with someone who is in-person, face-to-face," said Reinen. "If they can meet partway in a very safe and secure location." What you can do If you're the victim of a scam, let the state know and file a complaint. To notify Contact 6, or seek help with a consumer problem, submit a Contact 6 complaint form. The Source Information from this report comes from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture. Trade and Consumer Protection.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cryptocurrency scam; St. Francis woman loses $80,000
The Brief A St. Francis woman lost more than $80,000 to a cryptocurrency investment scam. She invested about $55,000 and paid another $30,000 in taxes and fees. The woman encountered the fake platform on social media and thought she'd doubled her money within weeks. Cryptocurrency has no central bank, which makes its money very hard to trace, especially if the money is transferred repeatedly. ST. FRANCIS, Wis. - A St. Francis woman thought she'd earned tens of thousands of dollars by investing in cryptocurrency. On her wedding anniversary, she surprised her husband with her earnings. The reality was devastating for both of them. "She had a big smile on her face saying, "Look what I did," recalled Scott Johansson. "All I thought was, 'This is not real.'" Johansson said his wife found the investment opportunity on Facebook. Her first investment was $30,000. It appeared to yield incredible gains within weeks. "Better than the stock market," said Johansson. "The interest said, you've basically doubled your money." Johansson said his wife invested a total of $55,000 in the scam. Eventually, she wanted to withdraw her $100,000 worth of cryptocurrency. To do that, she had to pay another $30,000 in taxes and fines. She paid another $30,000. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android "It was not until she was $80,000 in that she had to accept that she was being scammed," said Johansson. Contact 6 spoke with April DeValkenaere, owner of Fortress Forensic Investigations. DeValkenaere is a certified cryptocurrency investigator. "[The scammers] try to get you to invest a smaller amount first. They show you these incredible gains," said DeValkenaere. "Usually it's double your money within two to four weeks." DeValkenaere said victims can track their investments on fake platforms, like the one used by Johansson's wife. The reality is: the funds are gone as soon as they're deposited. In the meantime, the victim is investing more money and encouraged to let it sit as long as possible, to the scammer's benefit. "When (the victim takes) that case to law enforcement, the money was gone a year ago," said DeValkenaere, Cryptocurrency also has no central bank, which makes transactions very difficult to trace, especially if the money is transferred repeatedly. DeValkenaere advises against finding investment opportunities on social media. To protect yourself before any investment, including in cryptocurrency, DeValkenaere recommends going to and checking the broker's background. "It will give you a snapshot of their employment history. Are they licensed to actually provide services?" said DeValkenaere. Johnansson and his wife reported the crime to police. "(The officer) said there's a 99% chance that your money is gone," said Johansson. Investigators determined the scammers are most likely in Nigeria. Johansson's wife did not want to go on camera. "She has a really hard time sleeping at night," said Johansson. "She now has a lot of trust issues." SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News Johansson said his wife thinks their lesson is important to share. "If it sounds too good to be true, it's fake," said Johansson. One big red flag in this case? Being asked to pay taxes before withdrawing any money. Cryptocurrency is unregulated, which means there shouldn't be any taxes. If it were regulated, that money would come from your earnings. The Source Information for this report comes from interviews with Scott Johansson and April DeValkenaere. Also, screenshots provided to Contact 6 of the scam platform by Johansson, email messages with the scammer and a St. Francis Police incident report.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Wisconsin concludes odometer fraud investigation
The Brief The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) investigated a Lake Villa woman's car history after she found an odometer discrepancy on a CARFAX. The state investigator ran into trouble establishing the car's chain-of-ownership due to private car sales. CARFAX estimates there are 32,300 vehicles in Wisconsin with rolled-back odometers. LAKE VILLA, Ill. - More than 100,000 miles were erased from her car's odometer. Now, a Lake Villa, Illinois woman has learned the outcome of a state investigation into her vehicle's history. What we know Dina Piazza has never been so happy to see her car on the back of a tow truck. In March, she finally sent it to a salvage yard. "(The salvage business) came and picked it up, towed it away, and now it is out of my life," said Piazza. "I won't put anyone else through the misery of trying to fix that mess." FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android It was the sixth time Piazza's car had been towed since she bought it in 2023. "All these things were going wrong with it pretty much as soon as I bought it," said Piazza. Dig deeper Last year, Piazza showed Contact 6 the many problems with her 2007 GMC Acadia. "It'll probably drive home, but along the way, who knows what will happen," Piazza said in 2024. Piazza paid $6,000 for the car. Then, came the repair bills for its battery, sensors, fuel injectors and more. "Thousands and thousands of dollars later, it still wasn't running," said Piazza. After seeing a Contact 6 report about odometer fraud, Piazza got a CARFAX. The salon owner made a troubling discovery. In 2020, her car had 206,000 miles listed. In 2024, her odometer showed nearly 115,000 miles. What's next An investigator for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) got to work. "He did a very good investigation. He talked to every single person who owned the car, where they got it, whether they saw it on Craiglist," said Piazza. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News The investigation report says the car's odometer was altered at least three years ago. The investigator spoke with two of the car's former owners on the phone, who either bought or sold the car on Craigslist. A third owner of the vehicle mailed the DOT a response to a questionnaire. He said he had no records from the sale. The state closed the case saying, without knowing who the man sold the car to, it could not "establish a clear chain-of-ownership nor a clear mileage history." The Source The information in this post comes from WisDOT, Piazza and CARFAX.
