Scammers looking for your money and personal information never stop. That’s why it’s always important to keep in mind the possibility of being scammed when talking to someone online, via email, or over the phone.

In particular, immigrants, who can be identified by their last name, are easily targeted because they have a hard time reporting because of the language problems or insufficient skill to explane the situation.

Tax Scam

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said, “The IRS will not call, text or email you. Sometimes they send mails in a reliable looking envelope, but don’t be fooled.”

It is important to keep in mind that if someone steals your refund, you will lose that money and you will not be able to claim your refund for yourself.

Pet Scams

Pet scams abounded during the pandemic, when no one wanted to be alone at home. The scam is getting worse, especially as spring arrives in Michigan and demand for pets increases.

Often people see a dog or cat online and accidentally want to buy it from a breeder in another state. Scammers post generic photos of pets for sale, and people end up paying for them without seeing them for real.

Phone scams, email scams, phishing scams, and online shopping scams are also rampant in Michigan.

How to avoid scams

Experts recommend ignoring a message, email or phone call if you don’t know who it is from. You should also get into the habit of verifying that the person or company is genuine and legitimate before paying online.