Charleston named one of the top counties for scam reports in 2023

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD) — New data from the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA) shows South Carolinians lost close to $6 million to scams in 2023, a figure that is more than double the previous year.

There were 963 reported scams in 2023, according to SCDCA’s annual ID Thefts and Scam Report released on Wednesday. Charleston County was in the top three counties to report scams, accounting for about 7.5%. Richland County accounted for 13.6% and Horry County 9.14%.

Purchase scams were reported the most by South Carolinians last year. These scams involve a consumer being directed to or approached by a fake business and tricked into paying for phony consumer goods. Similarly, service/repair scams which trick consumers into paying for fake services or repairs were also common in South Carolina, as well as lottery or sweepstakes scams.

SCDCA data shows that 53% of those who reported the scams were contacted by phone, and the second most common contact method was through the Internet. Consumer advocates say to avoid scammers, be wary of any calls or texts that were not solicited, do not give out personal information to people you don’t know, and when in doubt cut off communication.

The report also detailed how identity theft impacted people in the state, with 346 reports resulting in more than $1 million in losses. Financial ID theft, which includes the misuse of credit/debit cards or opening new accounts had the most reports, followed by government and medical ID theft.

The department says some red flags to watch for are withdrawals from your bank account that you can’t explain, debt collectors calling you about debts that are not yours, or finding unfamiliar addresses or charges on your credit report.

If you gave your information to a scammer, contact SCDCA’s Identity Theft Unit at (800) 922-1594 and report scams on the agency’s website.