For National Consumer Protection Week, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel again is warning about fraudsters’ growing use of artificial intelligence — such as deepfake audio and video — to take advantage of consumers.

Scammers can clone a person’s voice using audio data collected from public social media posts or videos. They can then call victims, spoofing the phone number of a loved one to impersonate them in distress and make urgent demands for money, Nessel advised in a news release.

“Fraudsters are increasingly using AI to make their scams more convincing,” Nessel said in the release. “The best way to combat these schemes is to be aware of the warning signs, verify the caller’s identity, and never rush to send money if you are pressured.”

To guard against such scams, Nessel recommends residents —

— Establish a family verification phrase: Use a code word or phrase that only your family knows to confirm identity during suspicious calls;

— Do not trust caller ID: Scammers can spoof phone numbers to make calls appear legitimate;

— Verify the situation: If something feels off, hang up and call the person back using a known number; and

— Beware of unusual payment requests: Scammers often demand payment through cryptocurrency, gift cards or money transfers — methods that are hard to trace or reverse.

Nessel’s alert also notes that scams often share common warning signs, including high-pressure tactics to act immediately, use of fear or enticing offers, or demands for sensitive information or unusual payment methods.

If you’ve fallen victim to a scam —

— Notify local law enforcement;

— File a report with the Federal Trade Commission at 877-382-4357;

— Report fraudulent charges to your bank, credit card company, or payment app immediately; and

— Contact the issuer of any gift card or money transfer service used.

To view the full consumer alert on AI scams, go online to https://www.michigan.gov/consumerprotection/protect-yourself/consumer-alerts/scams/artificial-intelligence-and-scams.

Those who believe they have been the victim of a scam or would like to file a consumer complaint can contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team at:

Consumer Protection Team

P.O. Box 30213

Lansing, MI 48909

517-335-7599

Fax: 517-241-3771

Toll-free: 877-765-8388

An online complaint form can be found at https://secure.ag.state.mi.us/complaints/consumer.aspx.