How to report a scam in South Carolina

Scammed? Call your bank or card company first. Calling quickly may improve the chance of stopping a payment, but recovery isn't guaranteed. Then use the list below.

Who to report to in South Carolina

• South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs. consumer.sc.gov. Call (800) 922-1594 or 803-734-4200.
• Your local police. File a report. Your bank may ask for it.

Phone numbers and links last verified Oct. 21, 2026. Check the agency's official contact page before calling.

Federal places to report (all states)

• FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov for most scams.
• FBI IC3: ic3.gov for online scams, crypto, and email payment scams.
• Identity theft: IdentityTheft.gov gives you a recovery plan.

South Carolina scam numbers

FBI, 2025. South Carolina residents reported 14,699 internet crimes to the FBI's IC3, 21st in the U.S. Reported losses were $264,083,026, 20th. That's 263.9 complaints per 100,000 people, 23rd per person. (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2025 Internet Crime Report, state data appendix)

Crypto, 2025. South Carolina residents filed 2,176 crypto complaints with reported losses of $118,509,954. (According to the FBI.)

Older adults, 2025. South Carolina residents age 60 or older filed 3,136 complaints and reported losses of $97,344,480. (According to the FBI.)

FTC, 2024. South Carolina had 80,070 fraud and other reports to the FTC. Reported fraud losses were $137.0 million, and the median (middle) loss was $450. South Carolina ranked 7th of 50 states for reports per 100,000 people (1,536). It also had 15,146 identity theft reports, ranking 13th. The top three report types were credit bureaus (28%), identity theft (16%), and imposter scams (11%). (FTC, Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2024)

These numbers only count people who reported. Many people don't, so real losses are likely higher. FTC figures come from unverified consumer reports, not a survey.

Scams South Carolina officials are warning about

• Couriers picking up cash and gold. In September 2025, the Department warned about scammers who send couriers to collect cash and gold bars. (SCDCA, Sept. 8, 2025)
• Summer travel scams. In June 2026, the Department warned about fake rentals and travel deals. (SCDCA, June 30, 2026)
• Barcode payment scams. In August 2025, the Department warned about scammers who send barcodes and tell people to load money at stores like CVS, Walgreens, or Walmart, often while posing as police. (SCDCA, Aug. 18, 2025)
• 2026 scam losses. In August 2026, the Department said South Carolina consumers had reported $2.25 million in scam losses so far in 2026. (SCDCA, Aug. 11, 2026)

What to do right now

1. Stop all contact. Never hand cash or gold to a courier.
2. Call your bank or card company and ask whether the payment can be stopped or reversed.
3. Change passwords on any account the scammer touched, and turn on two-step login.
4. Save proof: screenshots, texts, emails, call logs, receipts, and phone numbers.
5. Report it to the state agency listed above, plus the FTC or IC3.
6. Beware of "recovery" offers. A request for a fee to get your money back is a common warning sign of a recovery scam.

Nearby states

• How to report a scam in North Carolina
• How to report a scam in Georgia

Learn more

• How to report a scam anywhere in the U.S.
• How a $25 million email payment scam worked
• The fake closing email that cost $1.3 million

Last checked October 2026. Phone numbers and links come from each agency's official website. Agencies change them, so check the agency's site if something doesn't work. FraudMeNot is an independent publisher. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting for any government agency listed here. Links go to official sites. We can't take reports or get your money back. General education only, not legal, financial, tax or security advice. No guarantee. Consult a qualified professional. Stories may be dramatized or composite; see each label. See our disclaimer. Found an error? Tell us.