Agents with the SC Law Enforcement Division say they have received reports of people claiming to be SLED officers demanding money to drop an investigation after sharing inappropriate messages with a person later revealed to be a minor.
A press release from SLED says the scammers lurk in internet chat rooms posing as adults. After the scammers get the victim’s contact information and exchange inappropriate messages or photographs, the scammer calls claiming to be SLED Chief Mark Keel or another SLED officer. The scammers tell the victims that the “adult” they were talking to is actually a minor and the child’s “father” will call to arrange a payment to have the investigation dropped and avoid being arrested.
According to SLED, no such tactic is ever used by a legitimate law enforcement agency, but it is only a way to extort money from people.
Officials say that anyone receiving such a call should hang up and file a complaint with the FTC.
