Elaborate debit card scam targets metro Detroit consumers

Debit cards ranked as the top payment method for both attempted fraud and actual dollar losses in 2024.

Consumers increasingly must realize that con artists are often impersonating banks, government agencies and others in authority. The scams are odd — but fraudsters can sound convincing.

It's not your run-of-the-mill scam — if there is even such a thing anymore. It starts out with a fake text, just like many scams do these days, but surprisingly morphs further into crooks even showing up at your door.

Sophisticated crime rings engineered yet another way to turn stolen mail or packages into cold cash.

Here's how it works: You get a call or text from someone who is impersonating your bank. You're told you must act quickly because your account has been or is about to be compromised. But