Consumer Affairs Alerts About Blocked Debit Card Scam

The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs is alerting South Carolina residents about a debit card scam targeting Midlands residents and likely spreading across the state. Consumers are receiving calls claiming their debit cards have been blocked. Consumers are instructed to respond to automated instructions to “unblock” or “re-activate” their card. Reports from consumers indicate the scam is targeting both cell phones and landlines.

The call is a scam designed to obtain sensitive bank account numbers. Consumers are urged not to answer the phone or hang up immediately if they receive a call from the following number: 520.882.7767. The number belongs to an Arizona heating and cooling company and is fraudulently being used without the company’s permission to perpetrate the scam.

Consumers receiving a call from this number should contact the Public Information Division at 803.734.4296 or toll free in SC at 1.800.922.1594, or online at www.scconsumer.gov.