Elderly, strapped families targeted

Declining economy prime time for scams

A clerk claiming to be from the county voter office wants your Social Security number to verify you're registered for the November elections.

An angry, threatening voice says you'll be arrested if you don't hand over personal information needed for jury duty.

A sympathetic lender with a North Charleston address, which authorities say doesn't exist, promises you a home-saving loan in exchange for a minimal $800 collateral fee up front.

They're all scams. And their frequency is on the rise.

With the local and national economies crashing, authorities throughout the region are warning that now is a time when con artists like to prey, often targeting the elderly or financially strapped families who might be seeking a drowning-man's grasp to solve their money problems.

Convicted economist Al Parish might have bilked $66 million from 600 investors over time and through trust, but authorities warn that it's the quick-hit artist who surfaces when times are bad and who can leave some of the worst damage by capitalizing on misplaced hope.

"They have a 'shot-gun' approach where they contact hundreds of people, hoping a small percentage of them will buy into what they are selling," said Maj. Tom Honan of the Charleston County Sheriff's Office, who often hears stories of the latest ploys.

Phone calls, Web pitches from as far away as Nigeria and legitimate- sounding media advertising all are part of the con man's net. Sometimes even the mere solicitation of money should be enough to create suspicion.

John Ward of Summerville recently reported receiving four pieces of mail in an eight-day period from sources that were offering him a chance at claiming millions of dollars. The catch? He'd first have to send them up to $20 by check or credit card as a minimal entry fee.

"It's from different sources, but no real company name," Ward said last week. The sour economy has to be the reason for the mass mailings, he guessed.

"Money is getting tight all over, so they're trying to give us 'little people' an opportunity to get rich," Ward said. "I'm sure they are going to take my $20 and get themselves rich."

He added, "How many people do you know will toss in $20 to win $7 million? A lot, I think. A lot of people would be gullible."

No one is sure how much money is lost to scams in South Carolina each year, partly because of the level of embarrassment involved, the sophistication of the swindle and the sometimes small amounts taken. Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer recently said that of the more than 6,000 complaints filed with the state Department of Consumer Affairs in the past year, most came from seniors. But he said only about one in 15 seniors actually came forward to report an experience with a scam artist.

The elderly are prime targets, Bauer said, because they have on average $1 million in assets and are at an age when they are more trusting, hospitable and sociable with strangers.

One of the fastest-growing cons in the state is the rise of fraudulent business checks that has been fueled by the acceleration of relatively inexpensive computer printing technology, the Secret Service in South Carolina reports. Bogus paychecks, stamped with big business logos, are a favorite.

Bob Rolin, acting special-agent-in-charge for the agency's South Carolina District, said there is no special trend he could point to that correlates cons with the economy. But he noted that anytime there are loopholes in laws, a business or in security "criminals are going to find a way to exploit it."

While the frequency of con pitches is expected to increase, authorities say numerous protective steps are available. Safe-guarding valuable personal information, never giving out data over the phone or the Web and never providing money up front for a loan unless you're sure who you are dealing are just a few tips.

But the best defense came from more than one person in law enforcement interviewed for this story: "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

Reach Schuyler Kropf at 937-5551 or skropf@postand courier.com.

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