NEWS RELEASE
MICHIGAN ATTORNEY GENERAL DANA NESSEL
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Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is wrapping up her 2023 Holiday Consumer Scam Campaign with a reminder that residents can now access free weekly credit reports from each of the three main credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
The free weekly credit report program was initiated in 2020 after the pandemic put many people’s finances in dire straits and the program became permanent earlier this year.
“While the Holidays are known as the ‘Season of Giving,’ that doesn’t stop bad actors from attempting to steal your identity,” said Nessel. “I encourage every Michigan resident to take advantage of the free weekly credit report program. Staying alert is the best way to protect yourself so that you can take action quickly when fraud is suspected.”
Credit reports contain the financial and personal data used by businesses and potential creditors to assess an individual's financial fitness for rentals, house and vehicle financing, insurance, or even a job. The approval of your application could be impacted by inaccurate information, and it benefits residents to be knowledgeable about what is in their credit report and affecting their overall credit score.
The free weekly credit report can be accessed from Annual Credit Report's website, the only official site for free credit reports authorized by federal law. Other sites offer free credit reports, though residents should exercise caution and watch for sites that have been spoofed, or fraudulent sites designed to steal your money or your personal information.
Holiday Scams Campaign
The Department of Attorney General kicked off the annual campaign with the launch of a new standalone consumer protection website to make it easier than ever for Michigan residents to access common scam alerts, research charities, learn about renter’s rights, and more.
“My Consumer Protection Team stands ready to assist Michiganders who may have fallen victim to a scam, but our ultimate goal is to educate consumers and prevent it from happening in the first place,” Nessel said during the website launch. “By focusing on the user experience, we made the Consumer Protection site more accessible, simpler to navigate, and easier to read. We hope residents will bookmark the page on both their computers and phones so that the information they need to stay armed against bad actors is always right at their fingertips.”
In addition to a new look and logo, the website now includes:
- a new search tool to make finding consumer alerts and charities faster and easier;
- a page dedicated to common scams;
- the Michigan Identity Theft Support page and resources to detect and report identity theft for consumers and businesses alike; and
- educational videos from Attorney General Nessel, the Federal Trade Commission, and other trusted resources.
The Holiday Alerts are relevant all year long and the list is as follows:
Nov. 24: Credit Card Safety – Keep Your Accounts Safe
Nov. 25: Card Skimming and Shimming
Nov. 27: Online Shopping Tips
Nov. 28: It’s the Season for Wise Charitable Giving
Nov. 29: Protect your Mail and Packages from Porch Pirates
Nov. 30: Computer Ransomware – What is it?
Dec. 1: Artificial Intelligence and Scams
Dec. 4: Hey, Why Isn’t That Price Fixing?
Dec. 5: Credit Cards – Did I Charge That?
Dec. 6: Michigan’s Scanner Law
Dec. 7: Gift Cards and Gift Certificates
Dec. 8: Puppy Scams
Dec. 11: Don’t Throw Away Your Right to Financial Privacy
Dec. 12: Payment Apps and Scams
Dec. 13: Virtual Currency Has Real Life Risks
Dec. 14: Website Spoofing
Dec. 15: Drop Shipping: Before You Shop or Sell Online
Dec. 18: Business Sudden Closure – Protect Yourself
Dec. 19: Avoiding Unhappy Returns
Dec. 20: Text Message Scams - Smishing
Dec. 21: Paying With a Gift Card
Dec. 22: How to File a Consumer Complaint
Dec. 26: Free Credit Reports: What Consumers Should Know
A library of consumer alerts created by the Department of Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team is available online and organized by a number of categories.
To file a complaint with the Department of Attorney General, residents are encouraged to contact:
Consumer Protection Team
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909
517-335-7599
Fax: 517-241-3771
Toll-free: 877-765-8388
Online complaint form
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