LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is alerting consumers of a scam in which fraudsters are impersonating the Department of Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team. Specifically, the scammers are using spoofing technology to have the recipient’s caller ID identify the caller as the “Consumer Protection Division” while using a real phone number connected with the Department. The scammers falsely claim that the recipient’s information has been “flagged” with credit agencies and that their credit cards and banking accounts will soon be shut down if they don’t make an immediate payment.

The Department of Attorney General will never call to demand money or ask for consumers to pay a fee to resolve a “flagged account.” The Department does not shut down accounts or negotiate credit card debt over the phone. Attorney General Nessel cautions consumers to never give out personal or financial information to unsolicited callers.

“This scam is alarming and designed to manipulate consumers into making hasty, costly decisions,” Nessel said in a Sunday press release. “My office does not call consumers to demand money, charge fees to resolve ‘flagged accounts,’ or negotiate credit card debt over the phone. If you think you’ve received a scam call from the Department of Attorney General, please hang up and contact us directly.”

To report a scam, file a complaint, or get additional information, contact the Consumer Protection Team: P.O. Box 30213, Lansing, MI 48909, or call 517-335-7599 or 877-765-8388. Online complaint forms are also available at https://secure.ag.state.mi.us/complaints/consumer.aspx.