Scammers are continuing their own holiday traditions of using new technology to con people out of their money. That’s according to an awareness campaign by Attorney General Dana Nessel.
The state is warning residents to be on the lookout for a new scam every day, like voice cloning, social media chain posts and promises of puppies. These scams aren’t limited to the holidays, but there’s usually an uptick in fraud attempts near the end of the year.
The latest is voice spoofing, which uses sound or video you’ve posted on social media to clone your voice. Scammers use it to call people you know and pretend to be you.
The technology has gotten so good that it can be hard to tell if it’s really you. Caller ID won’t help – scammers have been spoofing phone numbers for years.
The attorney general’s office suggests planning ahead. Agree on a code phrase for your family to use when verifying identity over phone or email. If you receive a suspicious phone call, you can also hang up and call that person back at a number you know is theirs.
How to spot a scam
Across a variety of scams, there are several tactics in common. Here’s some to look out for:
- Asking for sensitive or personal information
- Requests to transfer money over unusual routes, like cryptocurrency, gift cards or money orders
- Pressure to act immediately, or a strong sense of urgency that doesn’t let you think about what’s being asked of you
- Promising for something that sounds (and likely is) too good to be true
How to report a scam
If you think you or someone you know has been scammed, you can notify authorities and your financial institution.
- Notify local law enforcement
- Report to the Federal Trade Commission. AI voice spoofing is illegal, according to the FCC.
- Report fraudulent activity to whoever manages the account you sent money from – your bank, credit card provider, a payment app, money processor or a gift card service.
- Contact the Michigan Consumer Protection Team:
- By phone: 517-335-7599 or 877-765-8388
- File a complaint online
Check out all the scam alerts here.
