CAMDEN, S.C. — Camden Police Chief Joe Floyd is warning residents in the Camden area that this time of year is the prime time for thieves with a recent uptick in scam phone calls. And he's seeing this locally.
Floyd highlighted that when the caller makes an urgent demand suggesting someone should do something immediately, that's a strong clue that the caller may be a scammer.
Floyd has been adding that the most recent forms of scams have been people masquerading over the phone as either someone who works for the city or the police.
"Whether you have unpaid utilities they will tell you, we're about to cut you off," Floyd said.
There are some tips to follow to discover whether you are being played by a scammer.
Floyd said that if resident's aren't sure about the call, they should hang up and look for the department online to see if the number matches the one they received. If the caller tries to stop and give a number, don't use it. He added that it's not hard to look up the information online and could be the difference between being scammed or not.
Floyd shared one last point for those who feel they are being scammed.
"Do not give your credit card number over the phone until you have verified who you are talking too," he said.
Camden Police want residents to call their office if they feel they have been scammed or have received phone calls that seem suspicious.