The Attorney General provides Consumer Alerts to inform the public of unfair, misleading, or deceptive business practices, and to provide information and guidance on other issues of concern. Consumer Alerts are not legal advice, legal authority, or a binding legal opinion from the Department of Attorney General.
Here, you will find essential guidance and legal insights to help you navigate the sometimes-complex rental landscape.
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If you suspect that you are a victim of identity theft, you need to contact the entities where the fraudulent activity has occurred.
Additionally, we recommend you take the precautionary steps listed below to identify fraudulent activity and protect your personally identifiable information.
Due to privacy issues and the lack of resources, the Attorney General’s office is not able to make reports or place credit freezes on behalf of residents.
More information can always be found on the Michigan Identity Theft Support website. Should you have any questions regarding the steps below, please reach out to our office.
Request your free annual credit reports from all three credit reporting agencies online or by calling 877-322-8228. Review all reports for any unrecognized accounts.
If you find accounts you don’t recognize, reach out to the entity directly and dispute the account with each credit agency it appears on.
Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to file a report of identity theft by contacting 877-382-4357. Keep the report as it may be needed to remove fraudulent accounts moving forward.
You may also need to make a report of identity theft to your local police agency by calling their non-emergency number. Michigan law has made a victim's hometown police department the standard reporting agency for identity theft.
Request a security/credit freeze on your credit reports prevents third parties from accessing your credit reports unless you grant authorization. A freeze is different from a fraud alert and is the best form of protection from unauthorized credit accounts, and it’s free to do.
You must request your freeze from all four credit reporting agencies:
Equifax: 800-349-9960
Experian: 888-397-3742
Transunion: 888-909-8872
Innovis: 866-712-4546
ChexSystems is a specialized credit reporting agency that financial institutions use for account verification. ChexSystems collects and reports data on banking account applications, openings, and closures, including reasons for account closure. A security freeze here can help prevent financial accounts from being opened using your information.
You should also request a copy of your consumer report from ChexSystems to identify any potential fraudulent banking accounts.
By phone: 800-887-7652
National Consumer Telecom and Security Exchange (NCTUE) is a specialized credit reporting agency that telephone companies, utility companies, and the TV companies use to get your credit reports and determine whether to provide these services to their applicants. You should also request a copy of your consumer report from ChexSystems to identify any potential fraudulent accounts.
By phone: 866-349-5355
If you know or suspect you are the victim of tax-related identity theft:
Contact the Federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Identity Protections Specialized Unit online or at 800-908-4490.
File IRS Form 14039 (PDF) with your taxes if you know someone has used your information for tax purposes.
Contact the Michigan Department of Treasury's Identity Theft Unit at 517-636-4486.