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Scammer posing as Fort Mill police, demanding money to avoid arresting victims, detectives say

The alleged scammers are calling victims, saying they have a warrant for their arrest. The only way to avoid going to jail is paying a fine immediately.

FORT MILL, S.C. — Detectives in Fort Mill issued a warning about an alleged scammer posing as a Fort Mill police officer threatening to arrest victims if they did not pay a fine to avoid going to jail. 

The Fort Mill Police Department posted about the scam on its Facebook page, saying the suspect would tell people they have a warrant for their arrest, and to avoid going to jail, the victim can pay a fine or fee. 

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"The Fort Mill Police Department does not make these kinds of calls," the department wrote. "Be skeptical of all calls when callers are requesting personal information and payments."

Anyone who receives one of these calls is asked to hang up immediately and call the Fort Mill Police Department at 803-547-2022. 

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Tips to avoid becoming a victim of a scam: 

  • Emotional appealAny pitch that ratchets up your emotion will inhibit your rational judgment.  

  • Sense of urgencyYou MUST act now, or else.  

  • Request for unorthodox payment - Gift cards, prepaid credit cards, wire transfers, etc.  

  • Explanations that don't ring true - If your new “landlord” can’t show you the inside of the house, that could be because they don’t own it.  

  • You won, now pay up - It’s not a prize if you have to pay for it. Taxes, fees, shipping, whatever.  

  • Too good to be true - That’s because it’s not true. Sorry, your long-lost relative didn’t die, leaving you millions. That car you bought online for a third of its Kelly Blue Book value doesn’t really exist. The son of a billionaire diamond broker didn’t “swipe right” on you and fall instantly in love. That work-at-home job paying you hundreds of dollars an hour for stuffing envelopes isn’t real. 

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