A scam is often impersonal and targets people not known to the scammer. Scammers use all kinds of methods to obtain your information and hard-earned money: telephone, email, and even door to door.
Being aware of fraudster’s tactics is a good way to protect yourself or someone you know from being a victim of a scam.
Our human brain allows us to reason, pause, and think about the consequences and appropriateness of our actions. Scammers use tactics that attempt to get us to NOT use these functions. They use fear, love, connectedness, financial security, emotional triggers, and a sense of urgency to create anxiety that causes us to approach the situation in a more reactionary pattern rather than a reasoned / thoughtful pattern. Creating errors in judgment. These scams affect everyone.
Always remember: Anyone who demands immediate payment or payment by gift card is a scammer.
Legitimate companies or government agencies will never accept payment via gift card. NEVER give out any information over the phone if you did not initiate the call. NEVER click on a link in an email that you received until you verify the authenticity of the sender.
For more information on SCAMS see the Department of the Attorney General: Consumer Protection website
To report fraud or if you have a general consumer complaint, contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection team at:
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909
Online complaint form
Learn more: World Elder Abuse Awareness Day | USC CEM #WEAAD