Frequently Asked Questions

It is best to file a fraud report with the front desk officer at the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office (8045 Howard Street, Spartanburg County, 29303)

It is not required to submit all the evidence at the time the report is completed but it will be needed once the investigation begins. We generally want the evidence to be provided within seventy-two hours unless there is a reasonable cause. We cannot conduct a proper investigation until we receive all the evidence.

The report will be reviewed by the supervisor of the Fraud Unit. If the incident happened in Spartanburg County then it will then be assigned to an investigator for follow up. The investigator will contact the victim and review the case with them. The investigator will then determine the next step in the investigation. After the investigation is complete and the evidence supports a charge the case will be presented to a Magistrate for a warrant. It will then be sent to the Solicitor’s Office for prosecution.

These scams are very hard to investigate. The first thing that needs to be done is file a police report in the jurisdiction where you live. Because of the distance these scams are done at it is very hard to track down the correct identity of the suspect. It is rare the suspect is ever identified and the money recovered. Prevention is the best option in these cases. Never wire money to someone you don’t know.

First priority is to get you relieved of the debt. This is started by filing a police report with the Sheriff’s Office. Then contact the companies and dispute the accounts as fraudulent. The companies may require you to fill out fraud paperwork with them and send them a copy of the police report. The Sheriff’s Office will also need a copy of the fraud paperwork from the companies as well. Once this is done the debt is put back on the companies where the fraudulent accounts occurred. The companies become the financial victim then. If the accounts were opened in Spartanburg County then the Sheriff’s Office will investigate it. If it occurred in another jurisdiction then that local police agency will be required to investigate it.

Counterfeiting is investigated by the United States Secret Service. The counterfeit money is turned over to them for investigation. The Fraud Unit will assist the Secret Service when requested.