{"id":287343,"date":"2026-04-26T22:53:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-26T22:53:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/287343\/"},"modified":"2026-04-26T22:53:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-26T22:53:20","slug":"michigan-attorney-general-shares-tips-for-avoiding-scams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/287343\/","title":{"rendered":"Michigan Attorney General Shares Tips for Avoiding Scams"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Michigan Attorney General Shares Tips for Avoiding Scams<\/p>\n

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is reminding Michigan consumers that one of the best ways to stay vigilant against fraudsters is to understand how to recognize a scam<\/a>. Most scams have common characteristics. By equipping themselves with the tools to recognize a scam, Michiganders can be alert to its key features and avoid becoming victims.<\/p>\n

\u201cScammers are creative, coming up with new and more effective ways to trick you into handing over your hard-earned money or personal information,\u201d said Attorney General Nessel. \u201cArming yourself with knowledge about their current tactics is the best way to make sure you don\u2019t get scammed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Common signs of scams include when residents are:<\/p>\n

Contacted out of the blue with an urgent request.
\nPressured to act or respond immediately. Offered something that sounds suspicious.
\nUrged to keep the call, text, email, or chat secret.
\nRequested or demanded to provide personal or financial information or money.
\nAsked for payment in an unusual form.
\nTold to go to their financial institution to withdraw money and instructed to put their phone in their pocket while the scammer remains on the line. The scammer may also instruct victims on what to say to the staff at their financial institution.
\nTold they have won or inherited a large sum of money, then instructed to pay an up-front fee to collect on the windfall. The scammer claims the fee is to cover the cost of processing or shipping or to pay taxes on the winnings.
\nGiven vague information regarding the purpose of the call and\/or caller is reluctant to answer questions about the business or their offer.
\nThreatened if they don\u2019t comply with demands.
\nPromised something too good to be true.<\/p>\n

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To avoid becoming a victim of a scam, consumers should:<\/p>\n

Block unwanted calls and text messages. Do NOT provide personal or financial information in response to a request that they did not expect. Legitimate organizations won\u2019t call, email, or text to ask for personal information like Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers.
\nAvoid clicking on any links in an email or text message from a company they believe could be a scam. Instead, contact the business using a website they know is trustworthy or look up the phone number. Don\u2019t call a number provided by the caller or the number from the caller ID.
\nResist the pressure to act immediately. Legitimate businesses will give customers time to decide. Anyone who pressures them to pay or give personal information could be a scammer.
\nRecognize how scammers tell them to pay. Never pay someone who insists on payment with a gift card or by using a money transfer service.
\nStop and talk to someone they trust. Before doing anything else, tell someone \u2014 a friend, a family member, a neighbor \u2014 what happened. Talking about it could help them realize it\u2019s a scam. It can also make others aware of the scam and help them to avoid it.<\/p>\n

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To help residents avoid falling victim to scams, Attorney General Nessel will be reissuing alerts throughout Money Smart Week next week on the Department of Attorney General\u2019s dedicated consumer protection social media account<\/a>, Michigan Consumer Protection (@MIConsumerWatch). Residents can follow @MIConsumerWatch on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, X<\/a>, and LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To file a complaint with the Attorney General, or get additional information, contact:<\/p>\n

Consumer Protection Team<\/a>
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909
517-335-7599
Fax: 517-241-3771
Toll-free: 877-765-8388
Online complaint form<\/a><\/p>\n

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