COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA) encourages consumers to take advantage of activities offered during National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), celebrated February 28 to March 6. Grab a digital device and tune in for a series of free webinars designed to help consumers stay safe from ID theft, scams and learn more about their rights. To register for a specific webinar, click the title links below:

March 1 at 10 a.m. – Engaging in the Utility Regulatory Process – 101 for Consumers with ORS

March 2 at 10:30 a.m. – Robocalls and Your Privacy – How to Avoid Unwanted Calls

March 3 at 10:30 a.m. – Security Breaches and What to Do When our Info is Compromised

March 4 at 10:30 a.m. – Credit Reports and Scores Demystified

March 5 at 10:30 a.m. – HOAs and the Law

To view the full webinar descriptions, head over to the Upcoming Presentations and Webinars webpage.

To highlight the importance of protecting private information, SCDCA is also releasing the annual Identity Theft and Scams report. The report shows how many reports were filed, how much money was lost to ID theft and scams in 2020, along with reported age ranges and types of reports. Some of the highlights include:

Identity Theft

• The report contains information from 289 reports of identity theft. 
• Top three discovery methods for identity theft: Store or credit card notification (21.11%), bank notice (13.84%) and credit report (11.76%).
• The sum of potential losses to the consumer was $188,750, and the sum of actual losses reported was $604,071.66.
• Top three counties for identity theft: Richland (12.11%), Greenville (10.73%) and Charleston (10.38%).

Scams

• The report contains information from 615 scam reports.
• Seventy-three percent of consumers who reported scams were contacted by phone and 58% of consumers believe the phone numbers were spoofed.
• The sum of potential losses to the consumer was $804,019.58 and the sum of actual losses reported was $946,121.23.
• Top three counties for scams: Spartanburg (17.89%), Richland (10.73%) and Lexington (8.13%).

The entire report is available for download on the Reports webpage. Follow SCDCA on Facebook and Twitter to receive tips throughout NCPW and learn ways to keep your personal identifying information safe.

About SCDCA

The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs aims to protect consumers from inequities in the marketplace through advocacy, complaint mediation, enforcement and education. To file a complaint or get information on consumer issues, visit www.consumer.sc.gov or call toll-free, 1 (800) 922-1594.