Beaufort County deputies warn community of recent scams demanding money

by Colt Yeargin

BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office is warning community members of recent scams impacting residents.

Deputies say they have investigated and received reports of scams circulating this week.

Examples of local scams include:

A Beaufort County woman was contacted by a company claiming that they could help release her husband from jail faster if she purchased an ankle monitor through the company. The woman paid more than $2,000 before knowing it was a scam. This is a nationwide reported scam.
On Friday, the sheriff’s office received upwards of a dozen reports of phone scam calls where the caller ID listed the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office’s phone number. When answered, the caller tries to pressure victims into paying fines or fees. The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office says that it does not make calls demanding money, and those called should hang up immediately.

Common scams affecting residents include:

Phone calls from callers posing as trusted agencies, such as the IRS or Social Security, trying to convince victims to transfer money to “protect” their funds.
Emails and texts that appear to be from banks, delivery companies or streaming services are trying to convince victims to click on malicious website links or give personal information.
Fake listings on platforms like Facebook Marketplace and resale apps to trick sellers into sending items without paying.

Deputies say that you can protect yourself from these scams by:

Being skeptical of unsolicited calls, texts or emails asking for personal or financial information.
Not trusting the caller ID listed as it can be a scammer using these numbers to look official.
Verifying any request with the agency or business using their official contact information.
Never sending financial items to people you do not know, such as money, gift cards or cryptocurrency.

Those who believe they have encountered a suspected scam can report it to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency dispatch line at 843-524-2777, the Federal Trade Commission and the FBI’s Internet Crimes Complaint Center.