Consumer Affairs rep will be here Nov. 17

Patty Guthrie, the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs' Regional SCDCA outreach coordinator, will be at the Cherokee County Public Library, 300 E. Rutledge Ave., on Monday, Nov. 17, to handle consumer complaints and questions. Consumers may come with questions or complaints regarding a business between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Individuals are encouraged to bring documentation with them.

Guthrie will have additional materials available on telephone scams. The department has received a large number of phone calls reporting various types of scams. Savvy consumers have identified the calls as scams by the following red flags: callers asking for sensitive information, insisting on a limited time offer, and using other high-pressure tactics. Unfortunately, many telephone scams have become quite sophisticated and undecipherable from legitimate phone calls. "While we can't tell the consumer exactly what a telephone scammer will or won't say, we can share with them a lot of the warning signs to prevent personal information or finances from ending up in the wrong hands," said Guthrie.

Specific questions and concerns from the Gaffney community may be addressed to Guthrie. Appointments are available upon request. She may be reached at 864-490- 3267.

This month's visit has been made possible through a collaborative effort with Cherokee County Administrator Ben Clary and Cherokee County Librarian Cindy Harry.