Eau Claire residents are facing a surge in bank spoofing scams, with thieves impersonating banks and local authorities to steal sensitive financial details.

Scammers are using fake caller IDs to appear as legitimate institutions, persuading residents to share confidential information like account numbers and Social Security details.

The Eau Claire Police Department warns that neither police nor sheriff’s offices will ever request payment over the phone, despite recent incidents of callers pretending to be law enforcement demanding immediate money for fictitious legal troubles.

Banks such as Associated Bank have trained staff to spot suspicious transactions, and have already prevented hundreds of thousands in potential losses.

The Wisconsin Bankers Association reminds everyone: real banks will never proactively call asking for sensitive information.

Staying cautious and reporting suspicious activity can help protect local residents from these evolving scams.