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The FBI warned South Carolinians about romance scams after 277 victims lost over $11 million in the previous year, though only 29 cases were reported to the State Department of Consumer Affairs. One victim, Sandra Sheely, was contacted on Facebook by a scammer who developed a fabricated relationship using photos and videos before defrauding her, and she continues working to repay the losses. The FBI emphasized the need for increased reporting of romance and confidence fraud, which are becoming an increasing threat in South Carolina.

This article is not related to elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. It is a human interest story about a Gaston County teenager named Bailey Griggs (performing as Bailey Marie) who was expelled from Cramerton Christian Academy for performing at venues that serve alcohol, but has since been added to the lineup for the Field and Stream Music Festival in South Carolina, where she will perform alongside established artists.

Senator Tim Scott discusses South Carolina's fraud prevention efforts with an expert, highlighting a partnership between the state and the Department of Aging that distributes scam prevention education materials alongside meal deliveries to seniors, a program that began in 2015. The initiative represents an innovative approach to reaching vulnerable populations, particularly homebound seniors, with financial literacy and scam awareness information during a time when they are most receptive to learning.

During the holiday season, scammers increase their fraudulent activities by posing as charities, delivery services, and government agencies to prey on people's generosity and inattention. Common tactics include using localized phone numbers and names of trusted community figures, along with fake offers, urgent payment demands, and prize promises to trick victims into revealing personal information or money. South Carolina residents should be aware of prevalent scams including purchase fraud, warrant scams, lottery/sweepstakes schemes, tech support scams, debt collection fraud, service repair scams, job scams, subscription fraud, loan scams, and warranty scams.

The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center reported over 850,000 suspected internet crime complaints nationally, with South Carolina experiencing $146 million in losses—a $27 million increase from the prior year. The top cybercrimes in South Carolina were extortion, phishing, spoofing, and personal data breaches, with cryptocurrency scams particularly targeting retirees through phishing schemes that use advanced AI monitoring techniques.

Phishing scams are increasing across South Carolina, with criminals impersonating trusted entities like banks, government agencies, and delivery services to trick people into clicking malicious links, downloading malware, or sharing personal information and banking details. The scams target people of all ages using seemingly urgent scenarios such as unpaid traffic tickets, medical bills, locked accounts, and Medicare issues. If victimized, individuals should immediately contact the institution being impersonated and report the scam to relevant authorities.

South Carolina ranks disproportionately high in scam calls and texts compared to other states and previous months, according to TrueCaller's monthly data tracking. Scam activity shows seasonality patterns, with increased fraud attempts during severe weather events like hurricanes and coastal damage. The caller ID and spam-blocking service provider attributes the targeting to both predictable seasonal trends and state-specific vulnerabilities.

Donna Kendall from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, lost over $1 million to a romance scam after becoming lonely following her husband's dementia diagnosis in 2022. She was deceived by someone claiming to be a wealthy businessman named Martin Erickson who posed as a romantic interest and requested money for shipping equipment, leading her to make multiple wire transfers and eventually sell her home. The scam strained her relationship with her son Ken Martasin, who was unable to convince her of the fraud despite intervention from specialists and authorities, and she died at a hotel shortly after the incident.

South Carolina state Rep. Brandon Guffey's teenage son Gavin died by suicide after falling victim to a sextortion scam in which criminals posing as a young female on social media demanded money after he sent explicit photos. Guffey filed an 81-page wrongful death lawsuit against Meta, alleging the company failed to prevent the scam and contributed to mental health crises among young people, while the FBI reports sextortion cases in Georgia increased 700% since 2021. In response to his son's death, Guffey passed "Gavin's Law," making it a felony to target minors or at-risk adults in sextortion schemes.

A 73-year-old South Carolina woman lost $30,000 after scammers posing as her bank instructed her to deposit cash into a Bitcoin ATM at a Circle K gas station, with the funds routed to the criminals instead. She filed a lawsuit against Bitcoin Depot and Circle K under a 2021 South Carolina law allowing civil claims against financial institutions that aid the exploitation of vulnerable adults, arguing the companies failed to prevent the fraud despite profiting over $7,500 from the transactions at inflated markups. The case is part of a broader pattern of elder fraud, with people over 60 losing more than $1.6 billion to fraud in 2022

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The FBI warned South Carolina residents about escalating romance scams that target vulnerable populations, particularly elderly individuals, through social media, email, and text messaging by building trust over weeks or months before requesting money. Losses from these scams in South Carolina increased dramatically from $5 million in 2016 to $59 million in 2023, with 2024 projections exceeding that figure. The FBI advised potential victims to pause contact, consult trusted friends or family, and reconsider why they trust the person reaching out.

The Botetourt County Sheriff's Office warned residents about traveling door-to-door home improvement scams involving driveway paving, sealing, and barn roof painting, typically perpetrated by groups from South Carolina and Georgia who target elderly homeowners with diluted, poor-quality materials and low prices. The scammers often work in groups to distract homeowners while stealing valuables, and investigators recommend only hiring contractors you know or have researched, verifying solicitor permits, and never allowing unsupervised access to your home.

AARP South Carolina is launching a fraud prevention education initiative to help members protect themselves from financial exploitation. The organization offers resources on preventing elder abuse, identifying Medicare and veterans scams, and evaluating suspicious calls at aarp.org/scfraud, along with a series of upcoming fraud prevention events featuring former prosecutor Paul Greenwood, who specializes in elder fraud cases.

This opinion piece highlights multiple types of elder and consumer fraud affecting South Carolina residents, including gift card scams, cryptocurrency schemes, the "grandparent" impersonation scam, and account takeovers, with documented losses ranging from $30,000 to $39,000. The author provides red flags to recognize scams (requests for gift cards or cryptocurrency, unsolicited requests for personal information, phishing emails) and recommends protective measures such as using strong passwords, utilizing password managers, and paying with credit cards rather than debit cards to limit liability. The piece emphasizes that while individuals have limited recourse, large institutions continue to suffer major data breaches that put personal information into criminals' hands.

A class action lawsuit filed in South Carolina in April 2024 alleges that Bitcoin Depot and Circle K Stores knowingly failed to implement adequate safeguards against cryptocurrency ATM scams targeting elderly consumers, despite awareness that their machines are commonly used to facilitate elder fraud and money laundering. The defendants allegedly maintained minimal anti-fraud measures because they profit substantially from charging inflated markups on Bitcoin transactions, with the FTC reporting over 46,000 cryptocurrency scam victims losing more than $1 billion between January 2021 and June 2022, primarily through Bitcoin.

A mother in Dacusville, South Carolina, received threatening texts and videos from scammers after losing her iPhone, with messages containing personal information about her family and demands to disable tracking on her old device or face physical harm and threats to sell her data on the black market. Upon investigation, she discovered multiple victims had reported similar scam messages online. The victim is warning others, particularly elderly individuals, to be aware of this threatening video and text-based scam targeting iPhone users.

A 92-year-old South Carolina woman combated relentless scam callers by responding to their pitches with absurd nonsense—including claims she would be "raptured" and requests for senior discounts—which repeatedly frustrated the scammers into hanging up. Her granddaughter documented these interactions in videos, showcasing how humor and distraction can be an effective defense against fraud attempts, though the article notes that elderly people remain particularly vulnerable to scams, with nearly 70,000 people losing $1.3 billion to romance scams alone in 2022.

Georgia resident Malachi Mullings received a 10-year prison sentence for laundering $4.5 million in proceeds from business email compromise (BEC) attacks targeting healthcare providers and romance scams targeting individuals, including numerous elderly victims, between 2019 and July 2021. Mullings used multiple bank accounts under his company name to conceal the fraud, purchasing luxury items including a Ferrari with stolen funds; one romance scam victim alone lost $260,000. He pleaded guilty to eight charges including money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering as part of a larger scheme involving nine other suspects across Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia that defrauded state Medicaid programs

Scammers in South Carolina are using AI-generated text messages designed to mimic legitimate bank communications to trick people into clicking malicious links that grant access to their bank accounts. The Better Business Bureau warns consumers to be vigilant about unsolicited texts from unfamiliar numbers, suspicious URLs with extra characters, and to never click links in messages unless they can verify the source is their actual bank.

In 2022, elder fraud cost North Carolina and South Carolina consumers approximately $100 million combined, with North Carolina seniors losing $63 million (averaging $32,000 per victim) and South Carolina seniors losing $35 million (averaging $27,000 per victim), according to analysis of FBI and FTC data by cybersecurity company VPNPro. Despite these significant losses, both states ranked better than at least half of the country in elder fraud victimization.

A Privacy Journal study analyzing FBI, FTC, and CDC data ranked states by online dating safety risks, including romance scams, identity theft, STIs, violent crime, and registered sex offenders per 100,000 people. South Carolina ranked among the 10 most dangerous states for online dating, alongside Nevada, Alaska, Georgia, and Florida, while Vermont and Maine were identified as safest. The study notes that while dating apps facilitate connections (with 1 in 4 couples meeting online), users should avoid money requests, meet in public locations, and refrain from sharing personal information until after meeting someone in person.

Peach State Federal Credit Union launched community outreach initiatives to educate seniors about fraud prevention, holding free seminars at senior centers in Summerville and Toccoa with plans to expand across their service area. The credit union, which serves over 70,000 members in Georgia and South Carolina, provides fraud prevention resources through seminars, social media, and their website to help seniors and families identify and avoid financial exploitation. Membership is not required to attend the free educational sessions.

The IRS has issued a warning about rising impersonation scams targeting South Carolina seniors, in which fraudsters pose as government officials (IRS, Social Security Administration, Medicare) or businesses to steal personal information and money through phone calls, emails, and text messages. Scammers use tactics including caller ID spoofing, fabricated claims of debts or prizes, pressure for immediate action with threats of arrest or deportation, and demands for payment through cryptocurrency, wire transfers, gift cards, or payment apps. The IRS advises recipients of unexpected calls to hang up immediately, avoid returning calls to provided numbers, verify communications directly with the IRS at 800-829-1040, and report suspected sc

The Internal Revenue Service warned South Carolina seniors about a rising trend of impersonation scams targeting older adults who are deceived by fraudsters posing as government officials or IRS agents. Scammers use manipulated caller IDs, fabricated claims of tax debts or lottery winnings, and pressure tactics demanding immediate payment through gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency to steal personal information and money. The IRS advises recipients of suspicious calls to hang up immediately and verify legitimacy by calling official IRS customer service at 800-829-1040 rather than returning the scammer's call.

The Internal Revenue Service issued a warning about rising impersonation scams targeting seniors in South Carolina, where fraudsters pose as IRS or other government agency representatives to steal personal information and money through phone calls, emails, and text messages. Scammers use tactics such as caller ID spoofing, fabricated urgent scenarios (false tax debts or refunds), threats of arrest or deportation, and demands for payment via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency to pressure victims into immediate action. The IRS advises that legitimate tax issues are initiated by mail, and anyone receiving unexpected calls from alleged IRS agents should hang up immediately and report the incident.

The Internal Revenue Service issued a warning about rising impersonation scams targeting seniors in South Carolina, where fraudsters pose as IRS or other government officials to steal personal information and money through phone calls, emails, and texts. Scammers use tactics including spoofed caller IDs, false claims of tax debts or prizes, pressure for immediate payment via gift cards or wire transfers, and threats of arrest or deportation. The IRS advises that it does not initiate contact via phone, email, or text about tax issues, and victims should hang up immediately and verify communications by calling 800-829-1040.

The Internal Revenue Service issued a warning about rising impersonation scams targeting senior citizens in South Carolina, where fraudsters pose as government officials (IRS, Social Security Administration, Medicare) to steal personal information and money. Scammers use tactics such as caller ID spoofing, fabricated urgent debts or prize claims, threats of arrest or deportation, and demands for payment via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency to pressure victims into immediate action. The warning is part of broader World Elder Abuse Awareness Day efforts and the IRS's ongoing Security Summit partnership to educate seniors and protect them from these schemes.

During summer vacation season, scammers are actively targeting travelers and job seekers with three prevalent schemes: fake toll charges via text messages claiming overdue payments, travel scams offering free vacations or fake rental listings, and job scams requesting cryptocurrency payments to unlock employment opportunities. The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs warns consumers to protect their bank accounts as carefully as their skin from the sun and is offering a free webinar on July 3 to discuss these scams and prevention strategies.

A suspected scammer using the alias "Steve Phillips" targeted small businesses in Horry County, South Carolina, by posing as a magazine salesman offering cheap advertisements ($20-$100) in a non-existent publication called "The Golf Reporter." At least eight businesses across North Carolina and South Carolina fell victim to the scam, losing between $20 to $100 each, while others like Inlet Fencing and Signature Custom Signs became suspicious and declined the offer after recognizing red flags in his sales pitch.

The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs warns consumers about four types of summer scams: fake toll charge texts claiming overdue payments, travel scams including fraudulent vacation offers and hijacked rental listings, disaster relief scams where imposters pose as repair workers or FEMA employees, and job scams requesting cryptocurrency payments or personal information. The agency advises consumers to verify contacts independently, never pay for free services or government relief, avoid clicking links in unsolicited messages, and be wary of unannounced repair workers or unsolicited job offers.

Two Aiken County men, Thomas Allen Bateman Jr. (50) and Cody Lee Anderson (37), were indicted on three counts of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud for allegedly manipulating an elderly woman lacking mental capacity into leaving all her assets to Bateman through a will naming Anderson as personal representative. Both men face up to 30 years in prison, with their first court appearance scheduled for July 31, 2024.

The Alabama Regional Council of Governments (TARCOG) held an educational summit in Huntsville to raise awareness about rising scams targeting seniors, with elder fraud reports to the FBI increasing 14% in 2023. Attendee Teresa Hazzard shared her experience of losing $700 to a fake Netflix offer that requested her credit card information, though her bank recovered the funds. The summit covered cybersecurity, consumer fraud definitions, and legal implications, emphasizing that seniors should recognize and report scams—particularly those promising free offers or services.

South Carolina ranks as the 45th safest state for online dating, with elevated risks including 396 registered sex offenders per 100,000 residents, 1,062 STD reports per 100,000 residents, and 334 fraud cases per 100,000 residents. A study by PrivacyJournal.net identified romance scams, fraud, identity theft, and violent crime as primary dangers in online dating nationwide, with Nevada ranking as the most dangerous state overall.

A study by PrivacyJournal.net ranked Nevada as the most dangerous state for online dating based on reported romance scams, fraud, identity theft, and violent crime per 100,000 residents. Nevada ranked second nationally for romance scam reports and third for fraud reports, making it a higher-risk state for online daters seeking to avoid financial and personal victimization. The analysis identified Vermont as the safest state for online dating, while other risky states included Alaska, Georgia, Florida, Arizona, and South Carolina.

The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs released an updated version of "Ditch the Pitch," an educational guide designed to help consumers identify and avoid scams, with particular focus on protecting elderly residents. The guide will be distributed to over 9,000 seniors through the Department on Aging's home-delivered meal program, addressing common scams, prevention strategies, and steps to take if personal information is compromised. This partnership reflects growing concern about fraud targeting older adults, whose victimization rates are at all-time highs.

South Carolina cybersecurity experts and state leaders convened at an inaugural conference in West Columbia to address growing online security threats to the state's critical infrastructure, including energy, water, and government systems. The SC Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity organization, operating within SLED, provides threat prevention and recovery services while emphasizing the importance of law enforcement staying ahead of increasingly sophisticated cyber criminals. State officials recommend citizens utilize the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center and participate in cybersecurity awareness training to protect themselves against fraud and cyber attacks.

This article does not involve elder fraud or abuse. It reports a homicide case in which a 51-year-old South Carolina woman, Penni Whiteside, was murdered by her former roommate, 54-year-old Sheridan Dirk Fogle, and her remains were discovered buried under a firepit in June 2024, over two years after she went missing in spring 2022. Fogle was arrested and charged with murder, with no bond set and future court dates scheduled.

Kenneth J. Brown and Nicholas R. Shepard, both 45 of Lexington, South Carolina, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire and mail fraud by operating a scheme involving business email compromise and romance scams. The defendants received victim checks through the mail at their precious metals business, deposited them into their business account, and converted the funds into cryptocurrency. Both men face up to 20 years in prison, $250,000 in fines, restitution, and three years of supervised release pending sentencing.

The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs warns residents to be vigilant against post-Hurricane Helene scams, including fraudsters impersonating FEMA and utility companies to steal personal information through unsolicited calls. The department reminds the public that legitimate government agencies never charge for disaster relief and advises verifying charitable organizations before donating, with resources available through the Secretary of State's office or by calling 1-888-CHARITI.

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Rose Sherrie Davis, a 66-year-old woman, was arrested in September 2022 and faces felony charges including exploitation of a vulnerable adult and financial identity fraud after allegedly stealing $102,109.04 from a nursing home patient at NHC Healthcare West Ashley between November 2021 and April 2022 using her power of attorney access. Davis used the victim's bank accounts and debit cards for her personal expenses and was released on a $25,000 bond; the charges carry potential prison sentences ranging from six months to 10 years.

U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins warned the public about charity scams following Hurricane Helene's September 2024 landfall, noting that fraudsters exploit disasters by creating fake charities and phishing communications to solicit donations. The advisory recommends donating directly to verified organizations, avoiding unsolicited communications and suspicious links, paying by credit card or check rather than cash, and reporting fraud to the National Center for Disaster Fraud at (866) 720-5721 or online.

Electronic benefit fraud targeting South Carolina's SNAP program has surged dramatically, with reported cases increasing from 302 in August to 1,962 in October, affecting thousands of low-income households who depend on food assistance. North Charleston resident Rawshawn Clark lost $632 in benefits to unauthorized charges, and victims face challenges reclaiming stolen funds and accessing alternative resources while waiting for replacement benefits. The South Carolina Department of Social Services recommends SNAP users download the official Connect EBT app, change their PIN regularly, monitor charges closely, and report fraud within 30 days to the toll-free line (1-800-554-5268) to recover stolen benefits.

Spoofing is when callers or texters falsify their caller ID to hide their identity, often impersonating government agencies or companies to extract personal information—a scam that recently targeted Black Americans with racist text messages using spoofed numbers. The FCC recommends avoiding spoofing scams by not answering unknown numbers, never responding to requests for personal information, verifying calls by hanging up and calling official numbers independently, and using call-blocking tools. While spoofing is illegal under the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009 and can result in fines up to $10,000, there is no surefire way to prevent your number from being spoofed, though

Robert Namath Emory, 54, of Lancaster, South Carolina, pleaded guilty to wire fraud for embezzling nearly $5 million from his employer, Mar Mac Protective Apparel, where he served as head of accounting. Emory exploited a flaw in the company's invoice payment system from January 2016 onward by doubling vendor invoices, making electronic payments to vendors, and then writing physical checks to himself using the company's check numbers. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, restitution, and supervised release.

The FBI issued a public warning about an advanced tech support scam targeting South Carolina seniors, where scammers pose as tech support and instruct victims to liquidate assets and purchase gold bars for courier pickup to resolve fabricated device or financial account issues. South Carolina residents aged 60 and older reported losses exceeding $9 million from January through November, with similar cases occurring nationwide, and the multi-layered scheme often involves networks of criminals working together over weeks or months. The FBI advises seniors to avoid clicking unsolicited links, never provide computer access to unknown individuals, and verify suspicious claims by visiting financial institutions in person rather than contacting provided phone numbers.

The FBI is investigating an advanced multi-layered tech support scam targeting elderly South Carolinians, where scammers pose as tech support and government officials to convince victims their devices and financial accounts have been compromised, then instruct them to liquidate assets and purchase gold bars for courier pickup. South Carolina seniors aged 60 and older reported losses exceeding $9 million to tech support scams from January through November, with similar cases occurring nationwide. The schemes involve coordinated networks of criminals using fake documents, routing calls between accomplices, and can persist for weeks or months before victims discover their accounts have been depleted.

Justin Ray Donaldson, a 35-year-old South Carolina man, exploited a vulnerable 73-year-old widow by befriending her at a senior living facility, falsely convincing her she had dementia, and manipulating her into making him her power of attorney while removing her daughters from that role. Donaldson gained access to her bank accounts and fraudulently obtained a home equity loan for "home repairs," which he used to purchase a $28,525 vehicle for himself, defrauding the woman of thousands of dollars total. He was arrested and charged with breach of trust of more than $10,000, with the vehicle being recovered by investigators.