Great Lakes Wire

Attorney General Dana Nessel has addressed the growing concern over data breaches affecting Michigan consumers, providing guidance on how individuals can protect themselves from identity theft. This year, several significant breaches have been reported, including those involving McLaren Health Care, Change Healthcare, Ascension Healthcare, and AT&T.

"The number of data breaches and identity theft reports continues to rise every year," Nessel stated. "Scammers are on a mission to steal your personal information to commit fraud, so it’s important to take data breach notices seriously. My alert on data breaches explains the steps you can take to protect your information."

The Department of Attorney General has released an alert titled "Data Breaches: What to do Next," which offers consumers advice on handling potential exposure of their personal information. Additionally, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission provides guidelines for creating strong passwords and securing accounts.

To safeguard against identity theft during a data breach, Nessel recommends several measures: remain vigilant for phishing emails; update or strengthen passwords; avoid keeping unnecessary files; enable multifactor authentication; and regularly check credit reports using free weekly access from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion through the Annual Credit Report website.

For further holiday scam alerts or to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office, individuals can visit the Department of Attorney General's website or contact their Consumer Protection Team.