Palmetto State News

Attorney General Alan Wilson has issued a warning regarding a scam where individuals falsely claim to be members of his office’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force or local police to extort money. This fraudulent activity, which has persisted for years, appears to be intensifying and has even involved the misuse of information from an actual investigator in Spartanburg.

The scheme typically involves a male victim who meets a "female" on a dating app. Subsequently, the victim is contacted by someone posing as a "parent" demanding money or an "investigator" offering to settle the matter with a fine to avoid jail time. The scammers allege that the victim was communicating with a minor and then attempt to extract as much money as possible.

According to Wilson's office, the ICAC task force received daily calls and emails last week from individuals reporting or inquiring about this scam. “We always tell callers that law enforcement never asks for money,” said Wilson. He advised victims to contact their local law enforcement agency to report any instances of fraud or harassment.