(FOX 2) - Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued a warning about a fraudulent debt collection scam targeting workers and businesses in the state.
The scam involves a letter that fraudulently identifies the sender as the State of Michigan and attempts to collect an outstanding debt owed to the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) or the Michigan Department of Treasury, which functions as the state’s debt collection agency.
In the scam, recipients are informed of an overdue state debt that requires immediate payment through a toll-free number.
The letters threaten seizure of bank accounts, wages, business assets, cars, real estate, refunds, and cash if past-due debts are not paid.
The letters also use personal information gathered from internet records to make the scam appear legitimate and make the threats more likely to result in payment.
Legitimate letters from the Department of Treasury will be printed on official Treasury Department letterhead. These letters will offer options for paying the debt, and will also outline taxpayer rights in detail.
On the other hand, legitimate letters from the UIA will contain useful information about how to protest and appeal payment determinations.
Additionally, letters from either the Treasury or the UIA will always prominently feature the names of the departmental leadership at the top.
The purpose of the scam is not just to fraudulently secure payments, but information provided to the sender could also be used to commit identity theft.
Nessel encourages anyone who believes they have been scammed to contact the consumer protection team in her office at 517-335-7599 or online here.