With the spike in COVID cases and the upcoming holiday season, consumer groups are warning Michiganders a proliferation of scam artists is emerging. Mark Hornbeck with AARP of Michigan says everyone should be on the lookout for the typical cons related to shopping, including bogus websites impersonating major brands, gift cards that already have been drained of their funds, and porch pirates. He says the pandemic also has fostered a huge number of scams.
“You’ve got folks calling you about bogus home-testing products for COVID; they’re peddling non-existent equipment like masks and ventilators and that type of thing; they’re offering additional stimulus checks. Don’t believe it; it’s not happening.”
With nearly half of all charity donations made during November and December, Hornbeck notes that’s another area ripe for fraud. Before opening your wallet, he suggests researching the charity to find out where the contribution will be going. You cna find out more at AARP.org/FraudWatchNetwork.
