SUMTER COUNTY, S.C. — At first, it sounds like an innocuous, though slightly unexpected, call from Verizon. But the Sumter County Sheriff's Office has a warning: Don't touch that dial.
The sheriff's office released a statement on Friday warning that scammers calling from an 803 phone number are currently pretending that they work for Verizon. However, this apparently is not the case.
The latest scam involves a message that refers to an account issue or the authorized addition of a new device. It then tells the recipient to "press 2."
But the sheriff's office says this call is likely fake and warns residents to call Verizon directly if they receive a suspicious call like this.
The department also added that residents should never give personal information to the people who contact them by phone, email, or text. This is true even if the scammers use the information they've already gathered about someone to sound more legitimate.
The best way to verify the call is to call a confirmed number for the company or agency in question and ask directly. These are often available publicly in the company's contact information on bills or online.
One of the most important notes, however, the sheriff's office wrote in all capital letters: "If you have any doubt -- DON'T GIVE PERSONAL INFORMATION!"
