Nessel reissues consumer alerts following latest round of storms

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is reissuing two important consumer alerts in response to several municipalities around Michigan dealing with cleanup and damage following severe weather.

Last week, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency for White Lake and Armada Townships, along with the Village of Armada, due to damage caused by severe thunderstorms and tornadoes in July.

This week, people throughout Michigan began dealing with downed trees,  power losses and other damage after storms hit the state.

In response, Nessel is reminding Michiganders about disaster scams and government imposter scams.

Her Government Imposter Consumer Alert educates Michiganders on ways bad actors may try to take advantage of people who are cleaning up after severe weather.

In particular, criminals will contact consumers and tell them they have been selected to receive government funding to assist with repairs. In order to receive it, the person will be asked to share personal or bank information.

Nessel’s Disaster Scams Consumer Alert provides information on how to spot and stop other common post-disaster scams.

Disaster relief through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is one form of legitimate assistance and requires federal approval. To better understand the declaration process, visit FEMA’s A Guide to Disasters at www.fema.gov. 

The Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org) is also a helpful resource to research local companies and contractors when navigating repairs and cleanup.

To file a complaint with the Michigan Department of Attorney General, or get additional information, contact:

Consumer Protection Division
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909
517-335-7599
Fax: 517-241-3771
Toll free: 877-765-8388

Online complaint form: https://secure.ag.state.mi.us/complaints/consumer.aspx

The department provides a library of resources for consumers to review anytime online on a variety of topics. Nessel’s Consumer Alerts, which cover a wide range of topics, can also be reviewed on the department’s website at www.michigan.gov/ag.