Beware of Fake Email Requesting Information Verification Información en español The Department of Children and Families (DCF) has been made aware of several fake emails being sent to child care providers, including those who submitted an Intent to Participate in Get Kids Ready, requesting information verification and threatening license revocation. This is a spam/fake email. The most recent reported email had a subject line of Child Care Providers 2026-27 School Year Contact List Information Update. This email was not sent out by DCF, and you should not reply to it or click on any of the links. If you have already replied or clicked on any links, notify your IT department or service person immediately. Ways to Spot Phishing Emails Suspicious Sender Address – check the sender address and make sure it’s really coming from who it says it’s coming from. Hover (don’t click) your cursor on the sender address and it will show who it is really coming from. Note: Any email that DCF sends out will come from an email address ending in “wisconsin.gov”. If the sender email address does not end in “wisconsin.gov” then it is not from DCF. Spoofed web links – it is possible that a link in an email appears to go to a safe, familiar website, but actually directs you to a malicious website. Never click on a questionable link sent from an email. Spelling, grammar, layout – phishing emails often have poor grammar, sentence structure, spelling errors, and formatting issues. Reputable organizations generally send professional communications. Suspicious attachments – be skeptical of unsolicited emails containing attachments. Scammer’s emails sometimes contain attachments that are actually malware. Never click on an attachment from an unknown source. Threats or a false sense of urgency – phishing emails often try to persuade a user to act by trying to convey a sense of urgency. They warn of dire consequences unless you follow their instructions or lure you with false promises.
