Sheriff’s Office helps break up scam

The suspicions of the manager of an Oconee County business proved correct and he, along with the Oconee Sheriff’s Office, was able to thwart a telephone scam in which the scammer tried to get away with $1,200 dollars. It start lasted weekend when an employee of a business on the Pickens Highway near Walhalla took a call from a female claiming to represent a local utility company. The caller claimed that unless the business paid its balance on its account, power would be disconnected by the end of the day. The Sheriff’s Office reminds everyone that scammers love to use pre-paid cards and that legitimate businesses will not require payment using those cards. If a company or business contacts you and says payment is due and can be made using a pre-paid card, hang up and contact that company or business to inquire about the situation.