BEAUFORT, S.C. — The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office is telling residents to slow down before paying anyone who reaches out by phone, text, email or social media demanding money.
According to the sheriff’s office, the callers typically claim to be with a government agency, a law enforcement office, a bank or a familiar company. The pitch varies: a debt that must be settled, a warrant in your name, a problem with an account, or a prize waiting to be claimed. The common thread is pressure to act right away.
Deputies say real law enforcement agencies never ask for money over the phone to head off an arrest, clear a warrant or settle a missed jury duty date. Insisting on a single payment method is a red flag.
Federal consumer guidance points to the same pattern. Impostors who say they are with the government often push wire transfers, gift cards, cryptocurrency or payment apps because that money is hard to trace and harder to recover, and caller ID showing an agency name can be faked.
The sheriff’s office says credit cards usually offer stronger fraud protection, and anyone who already paid should call their bank or card company quickly. Scams can be reported to the non-emergency line at 843-524-2777 or to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Section: More Beaufort SC crime news
Filed under: Beaufort SC Public Safety News
