by Ellen Mason, Hotline Attorney If bill collectors are bugging you remember: you do not have to talk to them. Federal law lets you demand that a bill collector stop calling you. So the next time a bill collector calls and you don’t want to talk to him or her say “Stop calling me!” The bill collector must not call you again except (1) to … Continue reading Stop calling me!
by Miles Morley, MiCAFE Community Partner Liaison The Consumer Sentinel Network (CSN) has released their 2015 Data Book. CSN is a database of consumer identity theft and fraud complaints. The complaints are gathered from federal agencies, such as the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Internal Revenue Service, state law enforcement organizations, such as the Michigan Office of the Attorney General, and non-governmental … Continue reading Data Shows Fraud Complaints on the Rise in Michigan
by Miles Morley, MiCAFE Community Partner Liaison This is part six of a recurring series on the most common types of fraud reported in the Consumer Sentinel Network’s 2014 Data Book for the State of Michigan. The fifth most common fraud category for the state of Michigan is that of prizes, sweepstakes, and lotteries fraud. The Consumer Sentinel Network’s 2014 Data Book defines these frauds as … Continue reading Lottery Scams over the Phone
by Miles Morley, Legal Assistant This is part five of a recurring series on the most common types of fraud reported in the Consumer Sentinel Network’s 2014 Data Book for the State of Michigan. Banks and Lender Scams accounted for five percent of all complaints from Michigan Residents and a total of 3,566 complaints in the Consumer Sentinel Network’s 2014 Data Book. These types of scams … Continue reading Banks and Lender Scams and Complaints
Attorneys serving Clients who call the Legal Hotline for Michigan Seniors listen to many accounts of seniors dealing with a variety of financial issues. It is disheartening to hear of seniors who have worked hard all their lives and are now living on a fixed income trying to budget all their financial liabilities. Here are some simple financial “No-No’s” which may minimize your financial burdens: … Continue reading Financial Literacy and Saying “No”
by Skye Felsing, Project Administrator, PREVNT Initiative This post is part two of a series of blog posts covering Elder Law of Michigan’s efforts and partnerships to prevent elder abuse across Michigan. In February, we shared with you one of the four segments within our new elder abuse project called the PREVNT Initiative. This month we are excited to share the second segment we are working … Continue reading PREVNT: Connecting Seniors to Resources and Services
by Miles Morley, Legal Assistant I recently wrote about the Consumer Sentinel Network’s 2014 data book for reported instances of fraud. As a follow up, I am taking a closer look at each of the top ten types of fraud complaints in Michigan. The top instance of fraud reported in Michigan was titled “debt collection.” This category represented 14,284 complaints, or nineteen percent of complaints … Continue reading Protecting Yourself from Debt Collection Fraud
by Lindsay Felsing, Director of Economic Security Each year hundreds of thousands of older adults face abuse, neglect, and exploitation. People who are older, experiencing health problems, and vulnerable tend to be most at risk of elder abuse. The National Center on Elder Abuse uses six major categories to describe types of elder abuse: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, neglect, abandonment, and … Continue reading Blog Series: The Financial Exploitation of our Elders, Culture, and Ageism, Part One
