GREEN BAY, WI—(WGBW)— Sports fans from all over the nation are expected to attend the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay today through Saturday. With over 250,000 visitors expected, scammers may attempt to exploit the fast-paced environment by targeting them with various fraudulent scams and schemes.

Identity Theft Scams

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) says any travel, but especially travel to popular locations and events, can increase the risk of identity theft. Consumers should be aware of how identity theft occurs and how to reduce their risks.

The DATCP says surveys, prize giveaways, and online quizzes not affiliated with official Draft events can be tempting. However, if they require participants to provide private data, even as simple as their name, birth date, or contact information, consumers should remember they have no control over what happens to that data after it is submitted. Many of these innocent-seeming collection methods are actually run by individuals and groups for the sole purpose of selling the personal information.

Websites and apps often solicit personal information, and request device access and permissions that many consumers do not question. Bad actors may also create websites and apps with misleading names or branding to imply they are affiliated with the 2025 Draft. Consumers should always refer to official event sources and retailers when registering or making purchases related to the Draft.

When traveling to and from the NFL Draft In Green Bay, the DATCP recommends that consumers make purchases with a credit card because they offer built-in protections against fraud, allow the user to dispute fraudulent charges, and can be quickly cancelled if lost or compromised.

DATCP also encourages card users to be vigilant, as the data on a card can be stolen in several ways. Aside from physical theft, scammers can place ‘card skimmer’ devices on a legitimate business payment processor device without the knowledge of the business. These devices record card data while it is being used to make a purchase. Card skimmers have been found on ATMs, gas station card readers, and even retail business checkouts. Often, a small camera or fake keypad is installed to record the card’s PIN.

To protect against card skimmers, consumers should perform a brief inspection of the card reader device before they use their card. Beware if the card reader is misaligned or sticking out at a strange angle, the keypad feels flimsy or appears to be separating from the device, or if physically wiggling the card reader dislodges a card skimmer device or component. Devices sometimes called card “shimmers” function similarly but capture data from tap-to-pay transactions. Suspected card skimmers and shimmers should be reported to the business.

Transportation Scams

After visitors arrive in Green Bay, they will navigate through town in buses, shuttles, rideshares, or their own vehicles. With a variety of options available, scammers may use this as an opportunity to sell fake transit tickets, reservations, and passes. To avoid scams, visitors should know where to go for information related to parking and transportation services. By visiting GreenBay.com/Draft25 or downloading the NFL OnePass app, users will find the latest updates and details such as:

Green Bay Metro will operate a free bus route from Downtown Green Bay to the Draft event grounds.
The Brown County Tavern League will provide free shuttles from participating bars, restaurants, and other member establishments directly to visitors’ rented lodging.
There will be dedicated pick-up and drop-off locations for rideshare services like Uber, Lyft, and others.
Traditional taxi services will also be available during the 2025 Draft.

Most attendees are expected to drive to Green Bay for the 2025 Draft, and these drivers are vulnerable to additional scams. Many consumers are familiar with automated parking meters. Some take coins or credit cards, but others require the user to pay online. These meters will often have a nearby pay station or display a QR code to make the payment process as smooth as possible. While QR codes are useful tools that can be scanned with smartphones and other devices to quickly open apps and website links, they are also vulnerable to tampering.

The problem: Scammers can place fraudulent QR code stickers, sometimes over valid QR codes, to mislead consumers. The scammer’s QR code opens what appears to be a normal payment portal, but if a consumer uses it, they will send their money and payment information to a scammer while their vehicle remains illegally parked.

The solution: Consumers using a QR code should examine it closely to check for possible tampering. After scanning, they should double-check the web address and whether the payment portal matches the parking company’s branding.

However, much of the available parking during the Draft will belong to private Green Bay residents who rent out space in front of their homes or businesses for visitors’ vehicles.

The problem: Scammers may solicit and accept consumers’ money for parking spots they do not have a right to sell. To make their scheme more believable, scammers may dress as parking attendants and provide fake receipts after the consumer’s payment is processed.

The solution: Consumers should research parking areas in advance and have several options in mind, including backups if their top choices are unavailable. If possible, they should pay with a credit card to take advantage of built-in fraud protections but have cash available if needed. Refer to GreenBay.com/Draft25 or the NFL OnePass app to review parking options.

And it doesn’t stop there. Consumers may encounter a scam even after parking legally in a legitimate spot, potentially days, weeks or even months after the Draft.

The problem: Scammers use fake parking tickets to trick consumers into handing over their money. These tickets may be left on a vehicle with instructions to pay, or texted/emailed to a consumer later. Paying a fake ticket will cost a consumer money and expose their personal information, creating a risk of identity theft.

The solution: Never open links or make payments in response to unsolicited messages. If a consumer believes a charge may be real, they should contact the local law enforcement agency directly using non-emergency contact information that can be independently verified – not with details provided in the unsolicited message.

A recent variation of these scams threatened Wisconsin consumers with unpaid tolls instead of parking tickets. While Wisconsin does not have any toll roads, neighboring states do. If consumers believe an unpaid toll message may be real, they should visit the tolling agency’s official website to learn more.

Learn more about parking, bus, shuttle, and rideshare services for the 2025 Draft in Green Bay at GreenBay.com/Draft25 or by downloading the NFL OnePass app. For more information and consumer protection resources or to file a complaint, visit DATCP’s Consumer Protection webpage at ConsumerProtection.wi.gov or contact the Consumer Protection Hotline at (800) 422-7128 or DATCPHotline@wisconsin.gov

Want More Local News?

Civic Media

The Civic Media App