Just days after state officials announce thousands of credit cards and socials security numbers were breached through the department of revenue website and already Consumer Affairs believe there could be further risks to South Carolinians in the form of scam artists.
"What we are thinking is that may contact consumers and ask them for their personal identifying information whether to identify if you were one of the ones compromised or to say, pay us five dollars and we will look at the list and see if you are on it."
Carri Grube-Lybarker with consumer affairs say if you are contacted by someone asking for personal information, she says to find out who they're with, hang up, then call the company directly yourself.
"You try and stay a step ahead. Know that no state agency is going to contact you and ask you for your personal identifying information including your social security number, your financial account information over the phone," said Grube-Lybarker.
Consumer Affairs is recommending that everyone who filed a tax return since 1998 to go ahead and sign up for the department of revenue's free credit protection. If you want further protection they say you could even place a credit freeze to lockdown everything.
"While we are encouraging consumers to place the credit freeze on their credit reports they need to be mindful that when they want to go get new products or services they need to thaw or temporarily lift the freeze from each one of their credit reports."
The best advice they say? Be proactive with your banking accounts and credit reports so you know if there is any fraud activity.
"You should be regularly monitoring your credit report. You get a free one from each one of the three agencies annually. You need to be looking at your banking statement when they come in. You are just trying to watch out for yourself and just be on guard," said Grube-Lybarker.