FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Progress Michigan
September 30, 2026
Contact: Levi Teitel, levi@progressmichigan.org
New Poll: Majority of Michiganders Have Experienced Online Scams
MICHIGAN — Recent polling conducted by Progress Michigan in partnership with Public Policy Polling shows that more than six in 10 Michiganders have experienced an online scam. Online scams are on the rise, and many start on social media platforms through fraudulent advertisements, marketplace listings, friend requests, or direct messages. Commonplace scams include romance scams, investment scams, crypto scams, online marketplace scams, and government impersonation scams. A 2026 report by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) found that Michiganders lost $381 million from online scams, driving an estimated true annual loss of $2.7 billion, or $654 per household.
“The fact that Michiganders have faced $381 million in online scams is just the tip of a massive iceberg. The reality is an invisible $2.7 billion epidemic quietly draining the pockets of Michigan families because the vast majority of victims are too ashamed or unsure of how to report it,” said Justin Mendoza, executive director at Progress Michigan. “Michigan’s $2.7 billion scam industry isn’t just a tech problem—it’s a direct raid on our state’s working class. Digital predators are getting away with draining the hard-earned pensions of auto industry and public sector retirees. A lifetime of honest Michigan labor is being turned into a multi-billion-dollar goldmine for cybercriminals.”
Online scams happen when technology is used to trick, harm, or steal money and/or personal information. This can happen in various ways, like through emails, texts, phone calls, websites, or software. Have you ever experienced an online scam?
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