(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 March 2025 Scams Update.
A Deputy spoke with a victim who stated that they received a call from someone claiming to be Officer Brown from the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office. The victim was told that she had an arrest warrant and that she would need to pay approximately $1,500.00 or she would be arrested.
The called told the victim that to purchase some gift cards and provide the numbers on the back of the cards to him. The victim purchased a gift card for $500.00 and gave him the number on the back of the card. The victim became suspicious and decided not to send any additional gift card information.
According to the victim, the scammer sent her several messages of a threatening nature when she said that she wanted to verify the warrant information at the Oconee County Courthouse. A Deputy called the number that was used to contact the victim and left a voicemail. The message on the scammer’s phone identified himself as Sgt. Brown with the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office.
“As we have stated in previous Scam Updates, law enforcement officers will not ask for money in order to drop charges or have arrest warrants recalled. Also, we will never tell you to pay money to avoid an arrest if a lawful arrest or bench warrant has been issued,” says Corporal Jimmy Watt, Public Information Officer for the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office. “Unfortunately, we continue to see our citizens continue to fall victim to law enforcement related scams, even though we have issued information on how to avoid these types of scams in the past. You have to understand the tricks of scammer and always be vigilante.”
Corporal Watt also says that a tool of a scammer is to create a sense of urgency so a victim will do something that they may not otherwise do in a non-stressful situation, so be aware of this tactic and make sure to slow the situation down.
Also, if have caller ID and you don’t recognize the number, don’t answer the phone. Finally, if someone asks you to make a payment using an unusual method, such as a gift card, automatically consider that to be a scam.
A Deputy was informed about a Sweepstakes Scam by a citizen. The citizen said that they received a call from someone claiming to be from Publisher’s Clearing House. The caller told the citizen that they would be eligible for $7,000.00 a week for the rest of their lives, plus, a cash prize of $950,000 and a Mercedes-Benz vehicle.
The citizen was told that they would have to pay approximately $9,500 in taxes and fees in order to receive the money and vehicle. The citizen did not provide any financial account information or any personal identifying information.
“As we have stated previously before, in order to win a sweepstakes, you have to enter it, and the citizen in this case did not enter this sweepstakes,” says Corporal Watt. “In these scams, scammers will promise huge money and prizes and then request money for taxes and fees. It makes it almost seem like you are getting something for nothing. However, if someone pays those taxes and fees, the scammers have stolen your money and you will not get anything in return. If you get a call or message from someone claiming to be from a sweepstakes company, and you did not enter the sweepstakes, consider it a scam.”