LANSING — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is highlighting a scam targeting Michigan State University (MSU) consumers and warning residents about unlicensed merchandise purporting to support the Spartan Strong Fund. 

“As the mother of two current Spartans, I am heartened by the outpouring of support that Michiganders have shown in the wake of this tragedy. Unfortunately, bad actors often take advantage of times such as these, when individuals are most vulnerable, to prey on our generosity,” Nessel said. “I urge residents to always do their research before donating to ensure that their contributions will be put to good use.” 

The Spartan Strong Fund was created by MSU to provide support for those who were most critically impacted by the recent shooting. MSU issued an alert earlier this week to remind the public that only officially licensed and approved merchandise from the following vendors support the Spartan Strong Fund: 

• Spartan Spirit Shop
• Nudge Printing 
• Colosseum 
• Underground Printing 
• Blue 84 
• CDI Corp. 
• A. Dean Watkins 
• 4Imprint 
• Sewing Concepts 
• Zephyr 
• Gametime Sidekicks 
• Underground Printing – Spartan Strong 

Similarly, Nessel encourages residents to review the Attorney General’s How to Spot a Fake Go Fund Me Alert and Crowdfunding for Donations to learn best practices when using social-giving platforms. 

MSU encourages consumers who believe they have seen products or services that do not appear to be licensed by MSU can contact University Licensing Programs by email or at 517-355-3434. 

For more information about popular consumer scams, or if you believe you’ve been a victim, residents can contact the Consumer Protection Department Monday-Friday at 877-765-8388 or complete our online complaint form.   

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