OCSO Releases May 2023 Scams Update

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office has released a Scams Update for May 2023 to inform citizens and prevent them from falling victim to scams. Master Deputy Jimmy Watt discussed Grandparent Scams where someone pretending to be a grandchild calls a grandparent and requests money for bond and attorney fees. The imposter may claim to have committed a crime or been in an accident and been arrested. Watt suggests verifying the situation with another family member before sending any money. Another scam involved a seller receiving an overpayment check and being asked to send the excess back to the buyer. The seller did not cash the check and no money or merchandise was lost. Watt advises caution when receiving such checks and not sending any merchandise until the check has cleared. He also mentioned that if the seller had cashed the check and sent the merchandise, they would have been scammed out of both the purse and $145 and would have been responsible for restitution and any fees to the business who cashed the check.