With the holidays swiftly approaching, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is sharing a wealth of tips to ensure Michigan residents protect their wallets this season.
"As many of us prepare to spend our hard-earned money on our loved ones or donate to charities, my office wants to ensure Michiganders are equipped with the necessary tools to make certain they're not robbed of their generosity," said Nessel. "Our consumer education team has put together a series of consumer alerts the 15 Days of Scams calendar with tips for upcoming shopping or giving days, and a holiday-edition consumer protection newsletter as resources throughout the season."
Nessel encourages those who venture out to shop in-person or shop online to be mindful of the following:
- Do your research. Compare prices for both in-store and online items. Read reviews from reputable sources not only on the product, but also the retailer. Verify the legitimacy of all charities.
- Give gifts, not personal information. Only shop on secure websites with an "https" address. Stick to shopping apps that tell you what they do with your data and how they keep it secure. Avoid holiday offers that ask you to give financial information no matter how tempting. They might be trying to steal your identity.
- Be sure the scanned price is right. Never assume a sale price is accurate, especially if you see a price tag with a higher price crossed out or a "compare to" price noted.
- Search for coupons or discounts. Check your local newspapers and online for coupons or discount codes to increase your savings.
- Sign up for alerts from your bank and credit card companies. Ensure no unauthorized charges are made by also monitoring all statements.
- If possible, make purchases with your credit card. Credit cards offer more protection and limit your liability if stolen or unauthorized charges are made.
- Ensure all purchases are accounted for. Keep all receipts, warranties and order confirmations handy.
- Know the retailer's return policy and terms of layaway or no-interest plans.
- Only buy gift cards that are kept behind the store's customer service counter or activated when you check out.
Beginning Dec. 2 and continuing through Dec. 20, 15 Days of Scams will be a special section on the AG's homepage (www.michigan.gov/ag) to educate consumers on the numerous tactics used to cheat them out of their funds. Follow the AG's official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages along with subscribing to the department's consumer alerts to receive the most up-to-date to date consumer news.
This holiday season, consumers are encouraged to contact the Consumer Protection Division to file a complaint online or via phone by calling 877-765-8388.
Published: Mon, Dec 02, 2019
