Two Summerville residents, Traci Edwards and Samantha Witten, reported falling victim to a scam involving a fraudulent request for bond money from an individual impersonating a Chattooga County Jail official.

The incident was reported to the Summerville Police Department on April 26th. According to Mrs. Edwards’ statement, on April 25th, she was contacted by someone identifying himself as “David Peterson,” claiming to be a Captain at the Chattooga County Jail. “Peterson” allegedly told Mrs. Edwards that he needed her to bond out an inmate named Scott Sprayberry. Initially, the scammer requested $2,000 via Cashapp. He then reduced the demand to $500, promising a full refund on April 26th. Mrs. Edwards and Ms. Witten subsequently sent $500 through Cashapp to an account associated with the name “Lishia” and the Cashapp handle “$Dulisha,” which displayed a photograph of a Black female. Later, Mrs. Edwards learned that Scott Sprayberry is indeed an inmate at the Chattooga County Jail, but he had not requested assistance with bail. Furthermore, Chattooga County Jail staff confirmed that no one named “David Peterson” is currently employed at the facility. Mrs. Edwards has contacted her bank and filed a report in an attempt to recover the funds.

The Summerville Police Department is investigating the incident.

Authorities are urging residents to be extremely cautious when receiving unsolicited requests for money, especially those involving legal or emergency situations. Verify the legitimacy of the request directly with the relevant agency or institution before sending any funds. They also recommend reporting any suspicious activity to their local law enforcement agency.