SC launches task force to keep eye on COVID-19 related schemes

U.S. Attorney's office starts new initiative to monitor fraud, hoarding, price gouging during outbreak

Columbia,SC (WOLO) —The U.S. Attorney’s office has established the South Carolina ‘COVID-19 Strike Team’.

The team will investigate coronavirus fraud schemes, hoarding, and price gouging.
The team includes members of the U.S. Attorney’s office, Federal Law Enforcement officers, SLED, and members of the South Carolina Attorney General’s office.

Several federal agencies and local law enforcement agencies are also participating.

U.S. Attorney Peter McCoy, Jr.  says they started seeing schemes happening across the country, and South Carolina is no different, but McCoy says they’ll be ready.

“It is a sad truth that criminals are always willing to take advantage of every opportunity to prey on the most vulnerable,” said U.S. Attorney McCoy. “In these unprecedented times, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its federal, state, and local partners remain vigilant, and we will prosecute those who take advantage of Americans during this pandemic.”

If you need to report suspected of fraud schemes, and price gouging that is related to Coronavirus (COVID-19) you can do so by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or e-mail NCDF by going to the link provided here.