Do you receive a lot of calls from unknown numbers? Robocalls especially? I feel your pain, because I was recently targeted, and yeah, it was a scam.

So, I asked folks on social media about this problem and spoke with an expert from the Federal Trade Commission to help you spot the red flags.

Earlier this month, my phone started blowing up with robocalls leaving this automated message: "for $200 is pending. We think it is an unusual activity. If it is not you, press one. If you want to continue with this transaction, ignore this call."

The 866 number left not just one or two voicemails, but nine different ones in just a few minutes, all identical, hoping I would press one thinking there would be a fraudulent charge.

I posted about this on our Facebook page and we got more than 100 comments.

Kathy Johnson wrote, "My phone rings constantly all day and night."

Um Jibreel said, "I receive 40 phone calls and unfinished messages a day."

Karie Krucker said, "Been getting a lot of calls from 855. Every time I block the number, they call from another number but same area code."

"How big of an issue is this here in the United States?" I asked Benjamin Davidson, an attorney with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

"It is a major issue. Unwanted calls are the top reported fraud category that we receive every year, and that's been consistent for many years," he said.

Davidson is also the coordinator of the FTC's Do Not Call Registry. He said in Michigan, from October 2023 through September 2024, more than 65,000 complaints were filed with the Do Not Call Registry.

When you look at the top three, most were about medical and prescriptions, followed by reducing debt, and then calls from imposters, like what I received.

"The reason why the scammers want you to press one is why?" I asked.

Often scammers are trying to get you on the line. And if you press one, they're going to ask you questions and try to obtain personal financial information," he said.

The FTC has this advice if you receive one of the calls: Hang up, consider call blocking or call labeling, don't trust your caller ID and contact the company you think is contacting you by looking up the number yourself.

The bottom line: don't answer, don't trust, and independently verify. These scammers are persistent.

In the last year, the FTC said more than 2 million complaints have been made about calls to numbers on the "Do Not Call Registry."

If you've been targeted, you can report it to the FTC here.

Where Your Voice Matters

Sunday's Detroit Lions game against the Buffalo Bills could be a preview of the Super Bowl, and resale tickets are going for hundreds of dollars.

However, be careful if you're trying to buy tickets online, as scammers are out in full force.

I'm raising the voices of two ticket-buyers who recently got scammed while trying to buy Detroit Lions tickets.

One fan was a Lions fan while another fan was a Green Bay Packers fan. Both got duped out of tickets for the December 5th game last week.

"

What was your hope for that game?" I asked Cristina Dubke, an Eastern Michigan University student who got scammed.

"

For my parents to be able to be there," she said.

Dubke had scored the opportunity of a lifetime to play the halftime show on Ford Field with the EMU marching band, but she wanted to include her parents.

"

When you found out your daughter was trying to get you tickets to see her perform, what went through your mind?" I asked her dad, Lou.

I thought it was cool," he said.

Cristina joined a Facebook group to try to get tickets, and she started messaging with a person going by the name of Tracy Lynn.

 

"I scrolled through her Facebook, like, she was very active on her Facebook account. And then when it came down to like giving her the money, she ended up blocking me and not giving me my tickets," she said.

Cristina paid through Apple Cash and lost $300.

 

"She even had sent me a video of, like, what she looked like and then was like, 'Oh, I'm a real person,' and stuff like that. And I was like, okay, this lady is legit," Cristina said.

Watch that screen recording in the video below

Alicia ticket scam video

"Any red flags looking back now?" I asked.

"The fact that she gave me two different phone numbers," she said.

 

"What would you like to tell the scammers?" I asked Lou.

"You know, if you got a heart, send the money back," he said.

Packers fan Kegan Sulkowski was in Detroit last week and wanted to snag some tickets on Facebook, too.

"You actually were in communication with three different people. All three were scammers?" I asked.

"Yeah. So I, at zero point during the entire day was I able to find the ticket through this [facebook marketplace] method," Kegan said.

He lost $350, and one of those scammers was actually the same one who intercepted Cristina with the Tracy Lynn username and profile picture of a happy couple toasting with champagne glasses.

You can see a screenshot of the conversation below with Kegan.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued a warning during the Lions playoff run in January of 2024 about the ticket scams especially those involving peer-to-peer money apps. The office advised people:

Only buy from a reputable website Use a credit card Look for "https" to show the site is secure Ask the seller to provide proof of purchase at the time of the transaction

 

"

How did you find the actual tickets in the end?" I asked Kegan.

I just took the bullet, went to Ticketmaster and paid the crazy prices they pay, unfortunately," he said.

 

For the Dubke's, the loss was about more than just money. Her family missed seeing Cristina perform on Ford Field.

Cristina was told to contact Green Dot Bank which provides Apple Cash services. Green Dot is now investigating, but she hasn't gotten her money back.

Kegan is waiting for Paypal Goods and Services to finish its investigation and hopes to get at least $300 back since the service provides purchase protection.

However, he sent $50 to one scammer using Cash App, which has no buyer protection.

If you have a complaint about tickets you've tried to purchase online, contact your local police or the AG's Consumer Protection Division:

Michigan Department of Attorney General

Consumer Protection Division

P.O. Box 30213

Lansing, MI 48909

(517)335-7599

Toll free: (877)765-8388

Online complaint form

Where Your Voice Matters

Today is World Pancreatic Cancer Day, and to help raise awareness, we are all wearing purple and reminding everyone that early detection is key.

I'm raising a voice of a Warren woman, Lori Barczyk, whose late husband Brian shared his story with me last year at 'The Reptarium' in Utica an interactive reptile zoo that he founded. And I have an update on how his dream aquarium project is coming along.

WATCH OUR PREVIOUS COVERAGE Macomb County man known for his love of animals inspires fans Owner of The Reptarium in Utica asking for donations for aquarium after cancer diagnosis Brian Barczyk, owner of The Reptarium, dies after battle with pancreatic cancer

Brian Barczyk had a global following. 17 million people watched his videos on social media. Many others visited his reptile zoo in Utica, 'The Reptarium', where he shared his passion for animals first-hand.

At the time, Brian was working on his dream project across the street The Legasea Aquarium. While he was building the aquarium, he was trying to beat pancreatic cancer.

"The back pain," Brian told me last year was the first symptom he had. "You know, the pain sometimes in my stomach as well."

Less than two months after sharing his story with me, on January 5th, he posted a final message.

I love life. And, listen now Ill be looking down, and I cant wait to see how Lori handles things," he said in his final vlog (linked above). "I appreciate you supporting her and supporting the LegaSea. I appreciate you having so much love for me.

Brian passed away nine days later, at the age of 54.

Nearly a year later, his dream of building the Legasea Aquarium and the Reptarium expansion is taking shape.

Here is the shark tank," Lori Barczyk showed me. "And it is full of water.

Lori, Brian's widow, gave me a tour of the 30,000-square-foot building on Van Dyke. They hope to open early next year.

"And the only way thats possible, honestly, is with the amazing crew that I have behind me," Lori said, getting emotional thinking about it. "Its a hundred percent a team effort.

She's grateful for all the support and donations to reach their goal, as she continues to raise awareness about wildlife and pancreatic cancer.

"If theres one thing you want people to know about pancreatic cancer, what would it be?" I asked her.

"Its a hard one because by the time you normally find out, its too late. So, I would say, if theres any chance of anything, early screening," Lori responded.

Brian did not have family history when he was diagnosed in February 2023. But his family found out this year, he was not alone.

Brians Uncle actually passed away in June from pancreatic cancer," Lori said. He was diagnosed, and within two months he passed away.

With family history, you can ask for genetic testing, counseling and early screening.

Know the symptoms of pancreatic cancer:

pain in the abdomen/back unexplained weight loss jaundice loss of appetite nausea changes in stool new onset diabetes pancreatitis blood clots More information about pancreatic cancer can be found at this link.

Construction continues on Brian's dream project, as his team is devoted to keeping his legacy alive by sharing as the GoFundMe page aptly puts it "the awe-inspiring diversity of life that surrounds us."

Pancreatic cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, with a five-year survival rate of just 13 percent. If you notice any of the symptoms I listed in this story, see your doctor right away.

Where Your Voice Matters