The following column was published by the Lapeer County Press on Saturday, Nov. 29

I hope everyone throughout the 67th House District in Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties had a very warm and happy Thanksgiving with their families and loved ones.

The arrival of the holiday season means many will be looking for gifts for friends and family, leading to increased shopping. More transactions lead to a greater risk of our personal information falling into the wrong hands. I wanted to use this column to highlight a few consumer protection plans I have supported in the Legislature and steps you can take to keep your information safe.

In September, I voted for a bipartisan plan to combat gift card fraud. Unfortunately, bad actors find all sorts of ways and use different methods to carry out nefarious activity. A recent trend has involved people gathering identifying numbers from inactive gift cards at stores and, when realizing the card is bought by someone else and activated, draining the funds on that card for fraudulent purchases before the real buyer can use it.

The bills we passed in the House add gift card fraud to Michigan’s existing laws dealing with organized retail crime, making it a felony that comes with up to five years in jail. This change will make it easier to prosecute people who steal cards or tamper with them to get the numbers contained on them.

Consumers across the country purchase over $200 billion in gift cards each year, according to estimates. This includes $30 billion for the holiday season alone. Gift card fraud is a growing crime wave that leads to millions of dollars being stolen from vulnerable citizens’ pockets. It also creates losses for retailers, which get passed down to customers in the form of higher costs. These bills will protect families, seniors and consumers across our area, give law enforcement the tools they need to prosecute crimes, and hold bad actors accountable.

The holiday season also is a time when people go to shows, concerts or sporting events. This summer, I voted to prevent costly hikes on event ticket prices that originate from bad actors. A pair of bills that advanced through the House ban the use of bots that avoid ticket purchase limits to assist in digital scalping and allow the Michigan Dept. of Attorney General to pursue legal action against any violators.

Although venues and ticket websites typically set caps on how many tickets an individual can purchase for an event, individuals and groups use automated mechanisms to get around these limits, buy large amounts of tickets, and then resell them at significantly higher prices. This phenomenon was well-documented during Taylor Swift’s concert tour from 2023-24, but happens frequently across a number of events.

As a state, we have a variety of entertainment options. We have great concert venues and some of the most storied franchises in professional sports. These ticket schemes price out hardworking people and their families from enjoying all that Michigan has to offer, and these bills ensure more affordability and fairness with how tickets for events are attained.

People should have confidence that they are making informed choices and that they are treated fairly when transactions occur. The Michigan House understands that our state must be at the forefront of security, advanced detection, and appropriate reforms and has worked diligently to make sure that the plans we have passed reflect these ideals. Consumers can submit complaints about unfair business practices online, by fax, or mail to the Michigan Attorney General’s office or by calling the state’s consumer protection team at 877-765-8388. There is also helpful information under the consumer protection section of the Michigan.gov website that shows what to keep an eye out for scams, robocalls and other schemes.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, fraud cost Michigan residents over $200 million just last year. It is important to remain vigilant and guard against this activity, and I will continue to pursue plans in the Legislature that look out for consumers like you.