Criminal Defense Lawyer in Darlington, SC

Darlington County, South Carolina – Deputies are warning residents after a phone scam impersonating the sheriff’s office prompted a response in the Hartsville area.

According to the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called Tuesday to Howell Lane after a resident reported being contacted by phone by someone posing as a Darlington County deputy. The caller allegedly told the victim they had outstanding warrants for writing bad checks and demanded payment to avoid arrest.

Investigators said the suspect instructed the victim to purchase $2,500 in Lowe’s gift cards and provide the card information over the phone so the supposed “debt” could be paid off. Deputies later confirmed the call was a scam and not associated with the sheriff’s office.

The sheriff’s office emphasized that it will never request payment, gift cards, or money transfers to resolve warrants or prevent jail time. Officials said scammers often rely on fear and urgency to pressure victims into acting quickly before verifying the call.

Authorities also warned that scammers can spoof phone numbers to make it appear as if calls are coming from legitimate law enforcement agencies, including the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office.

Residents who receive calls demanding immediate payment while claiming to be law enforcement are advised to hang up and not provide any personal or financial information. Anyone uncertain about a call’s legitimacy should contact the sheriff’s office directly using an official, publicly listed phone number.

No arrests have been announced, and the incident remains under investigation.

The sheriff’s office encouraged residents to share the warning with family members, particularly older adults and young workers who may be unfamiliar with common scam tactics.

Anyone who believes they may have been targeted or victimized by a similar scam is urged to report it to local law enforcement.

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A former employee is accused of exploiting a vulnerable adult resident at an independent living facility in Darlington County.

DARLINGTON COUNTY, S.C. — A former independent living facility employee has been arrested and charged in connection with the alleged exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

According to the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, the Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit arrested Shelby N. Campbell, 36, of Darlington. Campbell faces one count of exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

Campbell was booked into the Darlington County Detention Center on Jan. 14, 2026.

Investigators say the Attorney General’s Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit concluded that between Aug. 17, 2024, and Aug. 20, 2024, Campbell knowingly and willfully exploited a vulnerable adult by making unauthorized use of the individual’s funds for her own benefit or profit.

According to investigators, Campbell was a former employee at an independent living facility in Darlington County where the victim lived. Authorities allege she illegally obtained the victim’s bank card information and linked it to her personal Cash App and PayPal accounts, then initiated unauthorized electronic transfers of the victim’s money.

At the time of the alleged offenses, the victim was a vulnerable adult as defined under South Carolina law and was a resident of Bethea Baptist Retirement Community and Health Care.

The facility reported the suspected misconduct to the Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit and cooperated fully throughout the investigation. The case will be prosecuted by the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office.

Under South Carolina law, exploitation of a vulnerable adult is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.

**CORRECTION: A former version of this story identified the facility as an assisted living facility, not an independent living facility.