Columbia, SC…With the recent tragedies in Boston and Texas, the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA) is urging consumers to be wary of scammers who pose as charities.

Scam artists follow the headlines and often tailor their fraud attempts to current events in an effort to profit from consumer kindness. As SCDCA saw with the Gulf Coast Oil Spill, we anticipate scammers will contact consumers in an effort to solicit money for phony charities to benefit the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings or West, Texas fire. 

The Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the community’s assistance in identifying a man wanted for stealing from the Lowe’s store on North Road.

Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell announces a multi-agency effort to verify the registered sex offenders in Orangeburg County.

Ravenell explains “This Sheriff’s Office is responsible for maintaining accurate records of 146 registered sex offenders. This week Deputy Sheriffs, Investigators, and members of the U.S. Marshal Task Force made contact with 130 offenders.

Officers will continue to follow up and investigate the location of the remaining 16 offenders, if we are not able to make contact, arrest warrants will be obtained.