LEGAL NEWSLINE

In recognition of Identity Theft Awareness Week, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is sharing information on identity theft-related alerts that can help consumers recognize and respond to instances of stolen identity and stolen data. 

Identity theft, the illegal use of another individual’s personal or sensitive information, affected more than one million people in the U.S. last year, according to the Federal Trade Commission’s 2022 Sentinel Data Book. 

When a person’s information or identity is stolen or compromised, there will be clues that this crime has or is taking place. A few of the warning signs that the re-issued alert points to are: 

• Finding unfamiliar accounts or charges on your credit report. 
• Learning that your credit score has dropped suddenly. 
• Being denied credit. 
• Finding that your checks are no longer accepted. 
• Missing certain mail.
• Receiving bills or credit cards for services/accounts you are unfamiliar with. 

“Consumer scams are so prevalent and sophisticated that it’s really a matter of when you become a target, not if you become one,” said Nessel. “We need to shift our thinking from identity theft recovery to identity theft prevention to minimize our risk. I encourage every Michigan resident to follow these tips and develop habits that will protect their personal information and data every week of the year, and not just during Identity Theft Awareness Week.”   

Many other identity theft-related alerts can be found on the attorney general’s new Consumer Alerts page. Some other identity or data theft alerts include:

• Is My Smart Phone Spying on Me – Offers tips on how to mitigate smartphone tracking by changing location, sign-on, and browser settings. 
• Data Breaches, What To Do Next – Identifies sensitive data likely to be stolen in a data breach, steps consumers should take after receiving a data breach notice, and the resources available to those affected. 
• Tax-Related ID Theft – Explains what constitutes tax ID theft, what to do if you are a victim, and how to protect yourself from this crime. 
• Prevent Identity Theft: Protect Your Mail and Packages from Porch Pirates – Outlines what actions can be taken to combat porch pirates and how mail theft can lead to identity theft. 
• Identity Theft: Deceased Victims – Describes how death does not stop identity thieves from stealing a loved one’s personal information or assets. 

Additional information on identity theft prevention for Michigan consumers is available on the Attorney General’s website. 

Consumers may also contact the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Team at: 

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

Original source can be found here.