Although Michigan, and certainly many other states, have seen a significant drop in certain crimes like murder and burglary, the quarantine has provided a perfect environment for certain other criminal activities to flourish. Specifically, scams. The problem of financial fraud has become a very big deal since the nationwide lockdown began. With so many people feeling afraid, and so much misinformation floating around online, it’s easy to take advantage of people at a time when they’re most vulnerable. So what does that mean for us Michigan residents?
Be careful of phone scammers who want your private info!
A surprising number of phone scams have popped up since the lockdown started here in the Great Lakes state. Robo-callers reach out claiming to be from “your credit card company” (although they never specify which company that is), or from the company handling “your vehicle’s warranty”, which they claim is “about to expire.” According to the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Information site, “If someone is already breaking the law by robocalling you without permission, there’s a good chance it’s a scam. At the very least, it’s a company you don’t want to do business with.” Hang up on them and block their number.
Online scams, usually in the form of emails, are an issue too!
Anyone who uses an internet-enabled device could fall prey to an internet scam, which tends to come in the form of emails “phishing” for money or personal identifying information.The most common variety of email scam is the one where someone reaches out claiming to be from a bank, credit union, or other reputable institution needing to verify information.They often ask you to respond by confirming a bank account number, date of birth, driver’s license number, Social Security number or other personal details about yourself. These are dangerous because the emails can look very official, and many people here in Michigan including those in Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit and Kalamazoo have been “taken in” by email scams. These result in them having their bank accounts emptied, or their personal info sold on the dark web.
Michigan law is very clear about financial fraud crimes!
Although most of the scams Michiganians deal with don’t actually originate here in our state, Michigan law is very clear about how fraud crimes will be punished if they do happen here. For example, if you use a computer to commit a crime (which is one of the many possible charges you’d be facing if you sent someone a scam email) you’d be looking at anywhere from two years in prison, all the way up to a lifetime behind bars, depending on what the underlying crime was. Other types of fraud, like credit card fraud (which could mean using someone else’s credit card info to shop online), could earn you anywhere from a few months in the county lockup, to a year behind bars and staggeringly huge fines! If you’ve been charged with fraud or financial crimes here in Michigan, call our top-ranked criminal defense attorneys at 866 7NoJail.
At The Kronzek Firm, we can help you fight fraud charges.
Being a victim of fraud is terrible. Losing your life savings, or having your identity stolen can have a disastrous impact on your future. But we also understand how terrible it is to be accused of fraud, especially when you’re really innocent, or it’s all the result of a misunderstanding. Here at The Kronzek Firm, we’ve been helping people from all over Michigan’s lower peninsula fight fraud and financial crime charges for decades. We have access to some of the best expert witnesses and we know exactly how to build a strong defense. So call 866 766 5245 today, and let us help you defend your future.