COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD)- The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA) is warning the public about a recent scam involving the impersonation of agency officials.
According to SCDCA, the agency received at least two complaints about scammers posing as staff to trick consumers into handing over personal information.
In one instance, the scammers said they were calling about the consumer’s recent solar panel purchase and collecting information for a report on pricing comparison. Then, in follow-up calls, the scammers acted as if they had complaints about the consumer’s current solar panel company, officials said.
“Remember, SCDCA will never call you out of the blue and ask for your personal identifying or financial information,” the agency wrote in a Facebook post. “If you have any questions about whether an individual who is calling you is from SCDC, hang up and call (803) 734-4200.”
133 South Carolinians reported being victims of government impersonation scams in 2022, with losses totally roughly $3.9 million, according to the FBI’s Criminal Complaints Center.
You can report scams to SCDCA by calling (803) 734-4200 or to the FBI here.
