Orangeburg, SC – The Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a new phone scam involving callers impersonating sheriff’s deputies and demanding thousands of dollars to clear fake arrest warrants.
According to Sheriff Leroy Ravenell, scammers have recently used the names of actual officers, including Lt. Harter and Lt. McDuffie, in an effort to sound legitimate. However, Ravenell emphasized that no real deputies made any such calls.
“If there’s a phone call involved and money mentioned, it’s a scam,” Ravenell said. “We never contact you over the phone for money.”
In one case, a caller gave a badge number — 4471 — to a potential victim. Ravenell clarified that no such badge number exists within the department. The scammer reportedly claimed the victim had an outstanding warrant for missing jury duty and demanded $9,500 to make the issue “go away.”
The sheriff’s office urges anyone who receives such a call to hang up immediately and contact the Orangeburg County Communications Center directly at 803-534-3550 to verify any claims.
Officials are reminding residents that legitimate law enforcement agencies will never request payments or personal information over the phone.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
Follow us on Instagram & Facebook for more local updates. Have a tip? Message us!
