Tech scams in which the imposters claim they are contacting the victim on behalf of companies like Microsoft or Apple to assist with a ransomware or technology issue are common scams Nessel is urging the FTC to outlaw.
Bill Pugliano/Getty ImagesOn Monday, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a group of 48 attorneys general calling on the Federal Trade Commission to adopt a national rule to outlaw impersonation scams targeting millions including Michigan consumers, according to a press release issued by Nessel's office.
Impersonation scams take on many forms. For instance, tech scams in which the imposters claim they are contacting the victim on behalf of companies like Microsoft or Apple to assist with a ransomware or technology issue are common, according to a letter from the attorneys general, including Nessel, raising concerns about the excess impersonation scams targeting consumers.
Michigan consumers have experienced these types of scams. Earlier this month, Ottawa County residents reported being visited at their homes by individuals claiming to be county employees, prompting Nessel to reissue her Government Imposter Scams Consumer Alert.
Late last year, Nessel also warned of utility imposter scams, where bad actors will impersonate utility employees to obtain money or personal information from an unsuspecting customer.
Though the methods may vary, impersonation scams cause injury to consumers who lose money, drain resources from regulators tasked with protecting the public and cause confusion and loss of trust in government agencies and services, according to the release.
"There is a pressing need for FTC rulemaking to address the scourge of impersonation scams impacting consumers across the United States," the letter from the attorneys general states. "A national rule that encompasses and outlaws such commonly experienced scams discussed [in our letter] would assist attorneys general and their partners in reducing consumer harm, maximizing consumer benefits, and holding bad actors to account."
According to the letter, a strong national standard outlawing impersonation scams should:
- Deter bad actors and reduce consumer harm.
- Provide needed clarity on what conduct constitutes impersonation.
- Deprive bad actors of the excuse that they were allegedly not aware their activities were illegal in some jurisdictions as opposed to others.
- Provide more opportunities for the states to collaborate with the FTC on multistate enforcement actions against imposter scammers.
- Allow states to enforce their own standards, free of any preemption by a federal rule.
Nessel also believes, along with a strong national standard outlawing impersonation scams, the FTC should publish additional consumer and business education materials to help prevent consumers from becoming victims of impersonation fraud, according to the release.
"As attorneys general, we are seeing first-hand the issues these impersonation scams are creating for consumers, small businesses, and charities across the country," Nessel said in the release. "With millions of consumers being targeted each year, it is now more important than ever to adopt a national rule to combat these scams."
Joining Nessel in submitting the comment letter are the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
