WIRE FRAUD
On Feb. 27, a detective with the Manning Police Department took a walk-in report in reference to fraud. A Manning resident stated that she had been scammed out of $6000 over a period of time. The complainant stated that she met a man through WhatsApp and believed to be in relationship with this person. They asked for money on numerous occasions, and she did send the money. The complainant stated that the relationship has been ongoing since last year. She stated that she sent this unknown
individual her social security number, license number, address and apartment number. She has never seen the individual on FaceTime or in person. The complainant did produce messages between the two and a record of the financial transactions. The complainant was advised to cease conversation with the unknown individual and to file a report with the social security administration.
SCAM/FRAUDULENT CHECK
On Mar. 4, an officer from the Manning Police Department was dispatched to the 400 block of Taccoa Drive in Manning in reference to a fraudulent check. The complainant stated that she was given a cashier’s check for $4450 from a Dr. Reyes Salcedo after the subject showed interest in hiring her. The complainant stated that on Feb. 2, Dr. Salcedo messaged her regarding an administrative/executive assistant position. She stated that he explained that he would pay for three hours of work by check. She received this check by mail on Feb. 28. However, it was a cashier’s check for $4450 from Heritage Bank. The complainant asked the subject why the check was for such a large sum. The subject instructed her to keep $700 and to send the rest to his associates. The complainant attempted to cash the check on Feb. 28 at SAFE Credit Union and on Mar. 4 , called to get an update on the check. The bank told the complainant that the check had been flagged as fraudulent and froze her account. She also messaged the subject many times over the course of this time period and spoke to him on the phone nine times. The officer explained to the complainant that the subject is a scammer. The scam is for the subject to overpay a large sum of money, usually via fraudulent check, so that the victim is willing to send money to an “associate” of the scammer. This gives the illusion of the victim gaining money while they are actually sending the scammer money before realizing the check is fraudulent. The officer explained to the victim that the scammer most likely got her information from indeed.com, where she stated she had posted looking for work. The officer then advised that she report the scammer to the website. The victim showed the officer evidence of all messages and calls between her and the scammer. After reviewing the messages, the officer was confident it was a scam. The officer has experience in assisting scam victims in the past, along with additional training on fraud and scams.
FRAUD
On Mar. 4, an officer from the Manning Police Department took a report for a fraudulent purchase at Rent-A-Center. The officer met with the complainant, and she stated that she had been contacted by Rent-A-Center in reference to a washer and dryer that she did not purchase. The total amount for the two items was $3292.78. The complainant also reported a 70-inch Samsung Smart TV for $2487.54 with fees was included in the purchase. The officer was informed by the victim that her wallet was stolen at a party, but she did not report the incident when it happened.
FRAUD/CONFIDENCE GAME/BREACH OF TRUST
On Mar. 6, officers from the Manning Police Department took a walk-in report in reference to fraud. The complainant stated that on Mar. 1, via mail, he received a bill from Verizon. He stated that he does not have a Verizon cell phone. The enclosed bill listed an iPhone 15 for $829.99, an iPhone 15 Pro Max for $659.99, for a total of $1489.98. The victim stated that when he called Verizon to file a report, he was advised to also contact local law enforcement. The officer explained the report process to the victim and advised them to take a copy of the police report to Verizon and to also file a dispute with the credit bureau.
WIRE FRAUD
On Feb. 20, a detective and officer with the Manning Police Department met with a complainant in reference to a fraud incident. The complainant stated that her CashApp was hacked and a total of $197 was taken out of her bank account. She stated that she attempted to dispute this charge with CashApp but was unable to receive any assistance. The complainant stated that she has not given anyone permission to use or take funds from her account. The detective advised the complainant of the case follow-up process.
Classic warning signs for possible fraud and scams
There are several signs that indicate you might be dealing with a scammer.
They include contact from someone:
- Calling or emailing you, claiming to be from the government and asking you to pay money.
- Asking you to pay money or taxes upfront to receive a prize or a gift.
- Asking you to wire them money, send money by courier, or put money on a prepaid card or gift card and send it to them.
- Asking for access to your money-such as your ATM cards, bank accounts, credit cards, or investment accounts.
- Pressuring you to “act now” or else the deal will go away. Or someone who seems to be trying hard to give you a “great deal” without time to answer your questions. Remember that if something doesn’t seem right, you can always hang up or walk away. Scammers often want you to make a quick decision without thinking about it. Slow down, do your own research about the offer or consult with someone you trust. To report a scam, you can submit a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. You can also contact the Manning Police Department at 803-435-8859 or the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office at 803-435-4414. Additionally, you can reach out to your state attorney general’s office to report the scam. Visit the National Association of Attorneys General for the contact information of each state attorney general.
