Great Lakes Wire

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, along with Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) Director Marlon I. Brown, have reiterated warnings to residents regarding imposter scams. Nessel and Brown are urging caution after reports of scam artists impersonating governmental officials have surfaced.

Nessel expressed concern over the recent incidents, stating, “Unfortunately, this is yet another example of the lengths bad actors will go to scam an unsuspecting person – in this case a licensed doctor – to obtain personal information or money.” She emphasized the importance of remaining vigilant and cautious when receiving correspondence claiming to be from a LARA representative.

Brown echoed Nessel’s sentiments, underlining the need for licensees to be wary of unsolicited requests for personal information. He warned, “No one from LARA will ever reach out to you with a threat to suspend your license unless you pay them money.” Brown also highlighted the collaboration between investigators and the Michigan State Police to combat such scams.

In a separate incident earlier this year, AG Nessel had cautioned residents about fraudulent emails purporting to be from her office. The emails claimed to offer assistance in dealing with scammers targeting tax refunds, but in reality, they were part of a scam.

Licensees are advised to be cautious and report any suspicions of fraud immediately. Brown provided guidelines for licensees, including checking URLs before clicking on any hyperlinks, as legitimate LARA websites will contain "michigan.gov" in the URL. Additionally, licensees can report fraud by emailing LARA or calling 517-241-0199.

Residents are encouraged to access a library of consumer alerts provided by the Department of Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team, which is available online and categorized for easy reference. Complaints can also be filed with the Department of Attorney General by contacting the Consumer Protection Team via mail, phone, fax, or online complaint form.