SCAM CALLS

Have you received any of those annoying “AT&T DirecTV” scam phone calls? Possibly even, like, 100 of them? Michigan’s attorney general is trying to put a stop to the “illegal robocalls.”

Robocalls seem to have been growing in frequency around the U.S., and they are annoying and many can be traced back to elaborate scams.

Officials with the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office are warning residents to be extra vigilant of scam calls this holiday season.

On Monday, the department posted on Facebook that residents have received calls from scammers alleging to be AAPD staff in order to obtain money.

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is warning residents of scammers posing as law enforcement agencies or other companies, demanding payment for warrants or services via gift cards. “Make sure to be aware that no law enforcement agency will ever contact you by phone demanding that you pay, regardless of payment method, for your warrant to disappear. Spoofing allows scammers to disguise their actual phone numbers and instead show a local phone number on the caller ID. “The framework of these scams – whether it’s a law enforcement, grandparent, or tech support scam – are always the same. AdTo report fraud or if you have a general consumer complaint, contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team online or by calling 877-765-8388.

The IRS will not make phone calls like this. Here’s what you need to know.

On Friday, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel unveiled a plan to crack down on illegal scam calls. The announcement came following a report that Americans received a record-breaking number of robocalls last month. This translates to over 182 million robocalls per day, or 2,115 per second. Last year, a Florida man was fined $120 million for setting up a program that made nearly 100 million robocalls between 2015 and 2016. On Friday, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel outlined a dozen initiatives to crack down on illegal robocalls.