Captain Edwards with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office recently discussed various scams and fraud with the Tryon Estates residents. (Photo courtesy of PSCO)

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COLUMBUS—Law enforcement recently held a presentation at Tryon Estates, where they discussed various types of scams and fraud with the residents.

Captain Edwards with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office explained the risks, saying PCSO receives nearly daily reports of victims scammed out of money, over the phone, online, and in person, and some county residents have lost a large portion of their savings to these schemes.

“The best way for someone to protect themselves from these scams is simply to hang up,” said Sheriff Timothy Wright. “Don’t let your guard down, and don’t be intimidated into providing personal details or financial information.”

One current scam affecting North Carolina residents includes fraudulent texts from an entity claiming to be the NCDMV demanding funds for unpaid traffic tickets. State officials say that fees are never collected through unsolicited texts or emails. If you receive a scam message, never click the links or provide personal information, and delete the message immediately.