With the holiday shopping season just days away from official kick off, the scam artists are waiting, and Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is reminding Michiganders about some of the big scams this time of year.
Nessel says if you’re solicited for a gifting circle, do some homework. It may be a pyramid scheme. If travelling, she says make sure the trip you’re booking isn’t bogus because that’s going around. With so many shoppers giving more personal data over to retailers, Nessel says everyone’s more vulnerable to data breaches. With health clubs, she says don’t fall for sales tactics that are too good to be true.
And then there are grandparent scams. Nessel says a call from someone claiming to be your grandchild and saying they need money to get home for the holidays is likely a scam.
“They’re just trying to prey on family members’ emotions at a time where they’re most likely to jump in,” Nessel said. “We know that you’re more likely to be spending money at this time of year, and of course, so do the bad actors.”
The AG encourages folks to read up on these scams and more at the state website, Michigan.gov/ConsumerProtection.
