Michigan attorney general provides tips during Identity Theft Awareness Week

(CBS DETROIT) – Even though it’s Identity Theft Awareness Week, scammers are always on the hunt for their next victim.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, more than 17,000 identity theft reports were made in Michigan last year alone. With data breaches becoming the norm, much could be at risk.

“I got an alert from Metro PCS saying ‘You added a new phone line.’ They kept sending me codes, but I wasn’t getting them. They were going to the spoofed phone,” said Jennifer Casing-Frayer, a victim of identity theft.

Casing-Frayer said her cellphone carrier had a data breach last spring. The scammers got ahold of her number and got into her emails.

From there, the scammers applied for loans and a credit card totaling $10,000.

“It put me in a panic mode … I had just started to build my credit up, and then this happened. I’m like what do I do? Where do I go from here,” Casing-Frayer said.

According to Attorney General Dana Nessel, 34 states have better scam protections over Michigan. In recent times, companies like Corewell Health experienced data breaches.

The attorney general wants stronger laws when it comes to reporting company breaches.

“To immediately notify you, and the Department of AG, so we can be of assistance. What we are seeing is that a company gets hacked, they don’t say anything to customers and then months go by and all kinds of terrible things could be happening,” Nessel told our team.

Nessel stresses to be careful when calls are made to you under the guise of your bank. Nessel adds that as mail theft becomes more popular it may be time to toss the idea of mailing checks.

“Don’t click on any links if you are emailed or texted something, independently contact that business or bank,” Nessel said.

Changing up passwords and being mindful of where they’re stored are other tips. For Casing-Frayer, the scammers who got her were arrested. She was able to close the loans and the card opened in her name.

“I’m afraid that something like this is going to come back and bite me. I checked my credit report there’s nothing on it…but I never know now,” she said.

The attorney general recommends locking down your credit.

“You sign up for their program, you lock down your credit, and they send you alerts if anyone is trying to open up your credit.”

Casing-Frayer and her husband plan to buy a home. A concern for her is if she can be scammed again.

“How is this going to affect me when I do wanna try? And even if I tried to buy land is that going to affect it?” she said.

Additional identity theft resources can be found here