ORANGEBURG, S.C. — A common scam is making the rounds in South Carolina once again with one sheriff's office confirming the latest onslaught of calls happening on Saturday.
The Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office and Sheriff Leroy Ravenell are reminding the public that these aggressive calls aimed at separating targets from their money are fake.
“Please do not give anyone any financial information, cash, or purchase any cash cards to pay these thieves,” the sheriff said in a statement released on Saturday. “This not how things are done.”
The sheriff said in the statement that several calls were made in Orangeburg County over the weekend by a person claiming to be a sheriff's deputy with his office. The caller will claim that the potential victim owes money for missing jury duty.
The scammer is currently using the name "Officer Madison" and calling from a phone number that shows 803-570-5314. However, this number and name could change at any time.
In one of the current cases, the "officer" said that the target had to pay them $2,900 or be arrested for missing jury duty. When the victim said he didn't have that much money, the caller claimed to speak with a "captain" who said they could cut the amount in half.
But anyone who actually misses jury duty would never be contacted in this way, the sheriff said.
"You will get a letter from the court you missed if indeed you did miss jury duty somewhere,” Ravenell said.
He further stressed that residents shouldn't give these scammers "who won't raise a finger to work" any of their money. Instead, he hopes residents who have been targeted or know someone who has will call his actual office number, 803-534-3550.
