COLUMBIA, SC (WBTW) – South Carolinians lost more than $650,000 in 2016 to scammers, according to the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs.
A press release from the department notes SCDCA’s Identity Theft Unit fielded roughly 2,000 calls, 1,644 of which were scam reports.Of those reported scams, 59% were imposter scams, with the most popular being someone posing as an IRS representative or the grandchild of an elderly person.
Sweepstakes scams came in at 10% with fake lottery wins being the most reported, and debt collection scams were the third most popular at 9%.
Consumers reported $669,126 in total losses, with another $366,150 in potential losses by those who did not give their personal information to the thief. While these numbers seem staggering, it’s important to note that this total loss is only from those who actually reported being scammed. Those who lost money and did not report the fraudulent activity are not recorded in this report.
According to data from SCDCA, the most popular month for scams in South Carolina in 2016 was May.
Scam reporting is an important step in helping SCDCA empower consumers to recognize and avoid scams. To report a scam, obtain a copy of “Ditch the Pitch,” or view the scam report in its entirety, call 844-835-5322 or visit www.consumer.sc.gov, then click Report a Scam.
