South Carolinians lost $137K to scams in June

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD)- South Carolinians lost thousands of dollars to scams last month, according to new data released by the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA).

There were 91 scams reported to the agency between June 1 and June 30 which resulted in actual losses of $137,068.93, according to SCDCA.

“Crooks use clever schemes to defraud millions of people every year,” the agency wrote in its June report. “They often combine sophisticated technology with age-old tricks to get people to send money or give out personal information. They add new twists to old schemes and pressure people to make important decisions on the spot.”

Consumers were most often targeted by crime and warrant scams, which involve threats of jail or arrest, accounting for 20% of the total number of scams.

“If someone contacts you and says they are going to arrest you or are serving a warrant for arrest, no matter who they claim to be, hang up,” an SCDCA spokesperson said. “This isn’t how warrants are served and law enforcement aren’t calling people on the phone letting them know about their arrest beforehand. This type of scam can be attached to a lot of different pitches — debt collection, law enforcement, etc. — so don’t be fooled just cause they change up the story.”

Service and repair scams, which usually involve an imposter business attempting to trick consumers into paying for a fake service, accounted for 17% of reports. That was followed by lottery and sweepstakes scams at 16%.

The agency reported an additional $65,708.60 in potential losses, which is the amount of money reported by consumers who did not fall victim to an attempted scam.

June saw the fourth-highest reported number of scams behind March, May, and January. A total of 576 scams have been reported to SCDCA to date in 2023.

According to SCDCA, the biggest red flags to look out for in any type of scam include being pressured into making a fast decision, demanding an unusual form of payment, and offering a deal that seems too good to be true.

You can report a scam by calling 1 (844) TELL-DCA (835-5322) or by visiting the SCDCA website.