Rep. Harris’ plan cracking down on gift card fraud becomes law
Michigan families will be better protected from gift card scams, thanks to a new law spearheaded by Rep. Mike Harris.
Harris, R-Waterford, led the bipartisan effort to create stronger penalties for a growing problem that has cost consumers and retailers millions of dollars.
“When someone spends their hard-earned money on a gift card for a family member or friend, they should be able to trust that the money will be there when it’s time to use it,” said Harris, R-Waterford. “This new law provides a real solution to a growing problem. It gives law enforcement and prosecutors stronger tools to crack down on organized criminals who are stealing from Michigan families.”
Harris, a retired police sergeant, worked with state Rep. Samantha Steckloff, D-Farmington Hills, on the bipartisan legislation after hearing…
Cyber fraud uses technology as the primary weapon. It is highly scalable and can be conducted from anywhere in the world.
- Phishing/Smishing/Vishing: Using deceptive emails (phishing), text messages (smishing), or phone calls (vishing) to trick victims into clicking malicious links or revealing sensitive data.
- Business Email Compromise (BEC): A high-value scam where a criminal impersonates a CEO or high-level executive via a “spoofed” email address to trick a staff member into making an urgent, unauthorized wire transfer.