CONSUMER ALERT

MIKE COX

ATTORNEY GENERAL

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.

VOTER REGISTRATION

Recent Scams Target Prospective Voters

The 2008 Presidential Election is already one of the most important and closely contested elections in recent memory - and the election is still more than a month away!  Michigan will be an important state in this election, and Michigan voters will hopefully perform their civic duty and vote in record numbers.  Unfortunately, savvy scammers have used this historic event as another opportunity to trick consumers nationwide into providing their personal identifying information.  The Attorney General reminds Michigan consumers not to give out personal identifying information to unknown callers, and provides information for prospective Michigan voters on registering to vote in the upcoming election.

never give personal identifying information to unknown callers!

Voters nationwide have received unsolicited e-mails and phone calls from people claiming to represent a government agency or civic group trying to ensure that prospective voters are registered to vote.  Sometimes these e-mails or callers ask for a voter's Social Security number, Driver's License number, or credit card number to confirm that a person is registered.  

Even though this may seem like a new twist on "phishing" scams, the Attorney General's advice is always the same - NEVER give personal identifying information to ANYONE in response to an unsolicited phone call or e-mail.  This is true even if someone calls you claiming to be from the campaign of your favorite candidate, the state or federal government, or even the Attorney General's office!  Personal identifying information can include your Social Security number (including the first five or last four digits), Driver's License number, bank account information (including routing numbers and pins), credit card information, and even your mother's maiden name. 

Please note that you may be instructed to provide certain personal identifying information if you register to vote by mail, at your city or county clerk's office, or at your local Secretary of State branch office.  You may be asked for your Driver's License or Personal Identification card number (if you have a Driver's License or Personal Identification card), or in the alternative, the last four digits of your Social Security number.  If you have never voted in Michigan, and choose to register by mail, you may also be asked to provide information such as a copy of a paycheck stub, utility bill, bank statement, or other government document that lists your name and address. 

In these circumstances, it is okay to provide the information requested because you have initiated the contact - that is, you are taking the affirmative step of filing out a form or visiting certain government offices in person in order to register to vote.  The Attorney General only wants to keep you from providing personal identifying information in response to an unsolicited e-mail or phone call because that may put you at risk of identity theft.  Legitimate government agencies or civic organizations will never call you and ask you to provide this information by phone or e-mail. 

tips for registering to vote in michigan

Registering to vote in Michigan is easy and free.  If you are a first-time voter wishing to vote in your first election, if you are new to the State of Michigan, or even if you are not sure if you are registered, here are some tips on registering to vote in Michigan:

1. The last day to register to vote in the 2008 General Election is October 6, 2008!  If you would like to vote for President on November 4, 2008, please make sure you are registered by October 6, 2008. 

2. Registering to vote is FREE is Michigan.  If someone asks you to provide bank account or credit card information to register to vote, this is scam.  Don't provide this information, and report any scams like this to your local police department or the Michigan Attorney General's office.  To report a scam targeting voters to the Michigan Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, please visit http://www.michigan.gov/ag or call us toll-free at 1-877-765-8388.

3. If you would like to register to vote, you can do so by mail or in person.  If you would like to register to vote by mail, fill out the Voter Registration Application form, available at http://www.michigan.gov/sos.  If you decide to register by mail, make sure you follow all instructions on the form.  Please keep in mind that if you decide to register by mail, your application must be postmarked by October 6, 2008 if you would like to vote in the 2008 General Election.  If you register to vote by mail, and you have never voted in Michigan before, you must appear in person to vote (unless you are over 60 years old, disabled, or an oversees voter). 

You can also register to vote in person.  There are three places where you may register to vote in person: 1) your city or township clerk's office; 2) your county clerk's office; or 3) your local Secretary of State branch office.

 

The Michigan Secretary of State provides a wealth of information on how to register to vote in Michigan, and also provides information on how to find your polling place, how to use your voting equipment, and answers other frequently asked questions.  Please visit the Michigan Voter Information Center at http://www.michigan.gov/sos. 

4. If you are unsure if you are registered to vote or where your polling location is, please visit the Michigan Voter Information Center.  The Michigan Voter Information Center, which is found on the Secretary of State's website, allows you to easily search to see if you are registered to vote.  You only need to provide your first and last name, date of birth, and residential zip code (or your Driver's License number and date of birth) to search for your registration.  If you are registered, you will be provided with information on your current polling location, and you can even get driving directions so you can easily find your polling location on Election Day. 

CONTACT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CONSUMER PROTECTION DIVISION

If you would like to report a voter registration-related scam, or if you have a general consumer complaint, please contact the to the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at:

Consumer Protection Division
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909

517-373-1140
Fax: 517-241-3771

Toll free: 877-765-8388

www.michigan.gov/ag (online complaint form)