Attorney General warns about scammers claiming to be with Internet Crimes Against Children task force

SC Attorney General’s Office

Photo: SC Attorney General's Office

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)– South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson is warning people about a scam where people are claiming to be members of his office’s Internet Crimes Against Children task force or local police in order to steal money.

Wilson’s office says for years, scammers have pretended to be law enforcement or a part of the ICAC task force but the scam seems to be increasing as they have used a a real investigator’s information from Spartanburg.

The scam involves a male victim meeting a “female” on a dating app, and then the victim is contacted by a “parent” wanting money or an “investigator” offering to let them pay a fine to avoid jail.

Investigators say they tell the victim that they were actually talking to a minor, and then the scammers see how much money they can get out of the victim.

The Attorney General’s Office’s ICAC task force was made aware of the scam when they received calls and emails from people reporting the scam or asking about it.

Anyone called in relation to the scam is asked to contact their local law enforcement agency to report the fraud/harassment as law enforcement does not ask for money.