Great Lakes Wire

As part of National Consumer Protection Week, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has reissued a consumer alert concerning data breaches. This move aims to provide Michigan residents with guidance and resources for dealing with personal information theft or misuse. Recent data breaches have affected several entities, including McLaren Health Care, Change Healthcare, Ascension Healthcare, and AT&T.

"The number of data breaches and reported incidents of identity theft continue to rise, with someone in the U.S. falling victim every two seconds," Nessel stated. "If your information is compromised in a breach, you need to take the threat seriously and take steps to protect yourself from identity theft."

To safeguard against data breaches, individuals are advised to watch out for phishing emails, strengthen or change passwords regularly, avoid retaining unnecessary data or files, utilize multifactor authentication on devices and accounts, and frequently review credit reports. Free weekly credit reports are available from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion via the Annual Credit Report website.

Concerned consumers may also consider freezing their credit as a protective measure. A credit freeze prevents creditors such as banks or lenders from accessing credit reports without approval. By law, consumers can place or remove a credit freeze free of charge.

When freezing their credit with each bureau—Experian (888-EXPERIAN), Equifax (800-685-1111), and TransUnion (888-909-8872)—consumers will receive a personal identification number (PIN). This PIN allows them to unfreeze their credit when applying for loans or new credit cards.

For further assistance or to file complaints regarding these issues, consumers can contact the Consumer Protection Team at the Attorney General's office by mail at P.O. Box 30213 Lansing, MI 48909; by phone at 517-335-7599; toll-free at 877-765-8388; fax at 517-241-3771; or through an online complaint form.