Injured workers in Wisconsin entered video hearings where apparent judges, attorneys, and bailiffs considered their compensation claims. The proceedings ended with good news, but state officials say none of it was real.
Scammers allegedly staged the hearings and announced decisions in the workers’ favor. They then demanded fees before the victims could receive the money supposedly awarded to them.
Ten Wisconsin workers have reported receiving emails connected to the operation, which has primarily targeted Spanish-speaking people.
Officials do not yet know who is behind it or how the scammers obtained contact information for people with workplace injury claims.
The Emails Directed Workers Into Fake Courtrooms
The operation begins with an email claiming that an injured worker must attend an online worker’s compensation hearing, according to Wisconsin Watch. The senders reportedly use official-sounding names such as the “Workers’ Compensation Board.”
Their addresses often end in “.org,” including domains designed to resemble organizations connected to compensation courts or government proceedings. Recipients are instructed to join through Zoom, Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp, or another video platform.
Actors Played Judges, Attorneys and Bailiffs
Workers who joined the calls encountered elaborate staged hearings. Wisconsin officials said the proceedings included people posing as judges, attorneys, bailiffs, and prosecutors.
The supposed court considered the worker’s claim and issued an official-looking decision awarding compensation. By that point, the victim had watched several people perform distinct legal roles and present the payment as the result of a formal process.
After announcing the favorable decision, the scammers introduced the financial demand. Workers were told that they had to pay legal, processing, or case-finalization fees before the compensation award could be released.
Four Wisconsin Workers Paid About $30,000
Ten injured workers in Wisconsin have reported receiving the fraudulent hearing emails, Department of Workforce Development spokesperson Haley McCoy told Wisconsin Watch. At least four have lost money since January.
Their combined payments reached approximately $30,000, and some workers also disclosed Social Security numbers during their interactions with the operation.
Workers Should Verify Before Paying Any Fee
Injured workers should not pay a fee, share a Social Security number, or join a video hearing based only on an email, WhatsApp message, text, or direct message. Anyone who receives a worker’s compensation hearing notice should verify it through the state agency, their licensed Wisconsin attorney, employer, or insurance carrier using a known phone number or official website.
The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development says the Worker’s Compensation Division will not ask injured workers to pay fees, urge immediate action, contact them through text or direct messaging platforms, or send emails from a “.org” domain.
DWD says people unsure whether a request came from Wisconsin’s Worker’s Compensation Division can contact a Worker’s Compensation specialist at 608-266-1340.
People who believe they were victims of identity theft can contact the Wisconsin Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-422-7128 or DATCPHotline@Wisconsin.gov.