State and local authorities are warning residents of scams as the holidays approach.
State Attorney General Marty Jackley said technology makes scams more sophisticated than ever before.
“Last year alone, we got about 82,000 complaints coming into the consumer division in South Dakota," Jackley said. "We moved forward on a lot of criminal cases. We had the recent sentencing of the California man in Chamberlain that had defrauded a South Dakotan of about $472,000 in a Bitcoin investigation scam.”
With that in mind, Jackley said it’s okay to ask for help when it comes to staying safe online.
“If you have a question, talk to a loved one or contact your Attorney General," Jackley said. "We have a division made up of investigators and lawyers that are there to help the public and try to prevent bad things from happening.”
According to AARP, Americans lost $47 billion to identity fraud and scams in 2024 alone.
