SC Consumer Affairs: March Events on Scams, Shredding, and Privacy

SC Consumer Affairs News

Published March 1st, 2026

Detected March 23rd, 2026

Summary

The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA) announced a series of events and webinars throughout March 2026 focused on consumer protection. Activities include cryptocurrency scam education, free shred events, and webinars on topics such as privacy laws and FTC Safeguards Rule updates.

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What changed

The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA) has announced a comprehensive schedule of consumer protection initiatives for March 2026, coinciding with National Consumer Protection Week. Key events include a press conference and consumer webinar on cryptocurrency scams, law enforcement training on crypto and elder fraud, four free shred events across the state, and seven educational webinars covering topics like HOAs, business privacy laws, data breaches, workplace scams, AI scams, and FTC Safeguards Rule updates.

Regulated entities and consumers should note the various dates and times for these educational opportunities. Businesses, in particular, may find the webinars on privacy laws and the FTC Safeguards Rule updates highly relevant. While these events are primarily educational and non-binding, they highlight SCDCA's focus areas and potential enforcement priorities related to scams, identity theft, and data security. Attendees are encouraged to register for webinars and participate in shred events to protect sensitive information.

What to do next

Review webinar schedule for relevant topics such as FTC Safeguards Rule updates and business privacy laws.
Encourage employees to attend webinars on workplace scams and identity theft prevention.
Participate in free shred events to dispose of sensitive documents securely.

Source document (simplified)

Sun, 03/01/2026 COLUMBIA, S.C. –National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) officially runs March 1-7 and the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA) is again expanding our efforts to cover the entire month.

Cryptocurrency Scam Education

To kick off NCPW, SCDCA will focus on raising awareness and preventing cryptocurrency scams.

Wednesday, March 4 at 10:00 a.m. — Press conference in the South Carolina Statehouse First Floor Lobby. SCDCA, AARP South Carolina, members of law enforcement and State Legislators will provide insight into how cryptocurrency is often used in scams, the impact the losses have on victims and what is being done to address these issues.
Wednesday, March 4 at 10:30 a.m. — SCDCA will host a free webinar for consumers to learn about cryptocurrency and how to spot the red flags of a scam. Register to watch/listen from any digital device by clicking here.
Thursday, March 5 — SCDCA and AARP South Carolina are partnering to host a law enforcement training that will focus on cryptocurrency and elder fraud scams. Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies are invited to learn about reporting, tracking and prosecuting scams and the resources that are available to their departments. Throughout the remainder of March, SCDCA will continue recognizing NCPW with programs to help prevent scams and identity theft. SCDCA will host four free shred events and seven educational webinars for consumers and businesses.

Free Shred Events

SCDCA will partner with Shred360 to offer the following free events from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.:

Monday, March 9: Shandon Baptist Church, 5250 Forest Dr, Columbia, SC 29206
Wednesday, March 11: First Presbyterian Church, 3810 Robert M. Grissom Pkwy, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Tuesday, March 17: North Charleston Coliseum, Parking Lot A, 5001 Coliseum Dr, North Charleston, SC 29418
Tuesday, March 31: Herring Center at Furman University, Greenville, SC 29617 To shred your sensitive documents in a timely manner, the shred event is set up as a drive-through. Attendees are encouraged to stay in their vehicles and are limited to (3) three boxes (copy paper box or smaller) or (3) three bags (kitchen trash bag or smaller) per vehicle. There is no need to remove binder clips, paper clips, staples, rubber bands or CDs/DVDs prior to shredding.

Free Webinars

Grab a device and log in to a series of free webinars designed to help consumers and businesses stay safe. To register for a specific webinar, click the title links below:

Wednesday, March 4 at 10:30 a.m. – Cryptocurrency Scams
Wednesday, March 11 at 10:30 a.m. – HOAs and The Law
Thursday, March 12 at 2 p.m. – State and Federal Privacy Laws for Businesses
Wednesday, March 18 at 10:30 a.m. – My Information has been Breached, What Now?
Thursday, March 19 at 2 p.m. – Avoiding Scams and Identity Theft in the Workplace
Wednesday, March 25 at 10:30 a.m. – Artificial Intelligence Scams
Thursday, March 26 at 2 p.m. – FTC Safeguards Rule Updates for Businesses Follow SCDCA on Facebook and X to receive tips throughout NCPW and learn ways to avoid scams and keep your personal identifying information safe.

About SCDCA

Established in 1974, DCA has more than fifty years of experience in protecting South Carolina consumers while recognizing those businesses that act honestly and fairly. Cultivating a marketplace comprised of well-informed consumers and businesses prevents deceptive and unfair business practices, allows legitimate business activity to flourish, resulting in the promotion of competition and a healthier economy.