(UPDATE: The Oconee County Sheriff's Office is continuing to receive reports today, Thursday, June 27th, of the law enforcement scam mentioned in this release. The name of an actual Sheriff's Office employee, Captain Ken Washington, is being used. Once again, law enforcement will never ask for, or accept money, to have charges dropped or a warrant recalled under any circumstances.)
(Walhalla, SC)-------------------------------------In our continuing efforts to educate and inform our citizens, and to prevent them from becoming victims of scams, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is releasing today our June 2024 Scams Update.
The Sheriff’s Office has received numerous reports today of a law enforcement scam. According to Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw, some citizens have been receiving calls from someone claiming to be “Lt. Kyle Davis.” The scammer has told the citizens that he has spoken with him that they have missed jury duty. Law enforcement scams usually revolve around paying money to avoid being arrested or having charges dropped.
“First of all, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office does not have an employee named “Kyle Davis,” says Master Deputy Jimmy Watt, Public Information Officer for the Sheriff’s Office. “We have reported on law enforcement scams in previous scam updates. As we have stated previously, if you receive a call from someone claiming to be from law enforcement, who requests money to have a charge dropped or a warrant recalled, it is a scam. Law enforcement will never accept money to have charges dropped under any circumstances.”
The Sheriff’s Office spoke to the victim of a Sweepstakes Scam. The victim told a Deputy that he had received numerous telephone calls from different telephone number indicating that he had won $3,000,000 from Publishers Clearinghouse. The people the victim had spoken with indicated that he needed to pay taxes on his winnings.
The victim sent three separate payments via check to an out of state address. The total amount sent to the scammers totaled approximately $22,000. The subjects continued to contact the victim to ask for additional money. The victim did stop answering the scammer’s phone calls.
“We have also provided some tips on how to avoid sweepstakes scams in previous scam updates,” says Master Deputy Watt. “First, Publishers Clearinghouse is legitimate. However, in order to win a sweepstakes, you have to enter it. If someone claims you have won a sweepstakes, and you have not entered, automatically presume it is a scam.”