The Federal Trade Commission published data on reported scams from last year and the numbers are quite scary.  In 2017 there were nearly 2.7 million reports of scams in the United States.

Michigan residents are the 5th most likely to be scammed in the nation.  In 2017 Michigan had 74,689 total fraud and other reports.  Michigan ranked 1st in the nation for identity theft cases, but it was debt collection scams that were the most common.

In 2016, Michigan had 746 cases where people had fallen for debt collecting scams.  Debt collecting scams make up 40% of the total scams in the state and they are also the most common in the nation.

Debt collection scams can be pretty scary because often times the scammers will be threatening you lawsuits.  TheBalance.com put together a fantastic article on how to avoid these scams.  Before I list a few of the ways to recognize scams, a basic rule to live by when it comes to debt collectors is: Always be skeptical!

Here are a few suggestions on how to avoid debt collector scams from The Balance:

  1. Check your credit report, if the collection isn't listed, the debt collectors are probably scamming you.
  2. Do not pay any debt collectors who ask you to pay via wire transfer or another untraceable method.
  3. It's probably a scam if they ask you for information they should have, like your name, address, or date of birth.

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