S.C. Code Ann. § 16-16-20 – Offenses; penalties

(1) It is unlawful for a person to wilfully, knowingly, maliciously, and without authorization or for an unauthorized purpose to do any of the following:
1. (a) directly or indirectly access or cause to be accessed a computer, computer system, or computer network for the purpose of:
  1. (i) devising or executing any scheme or artifice to defraud;
  2. (ii) obtaining money, property, or services by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, promises; or
  3. (iii) committing any other crime.
2. (b) alter, damage, destroy, or modify a computer, computer system, computer network, computer software, computer program, or data contained in such computer, computer system, computer program, or computer network.
(2) A person is guilty of computer crime in the first degree if the amount of gain directly or indirectly derived from the offense made unlawful by subsection (1) or the loss directly or indirectly suffered by the victim exceeds twenty-five thousand dollars. Computer crime in the first degree is a felony and, upon conviction, a person must be fined not more than one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.
(3)
1. (a) A person is guilty of computer crime in the second degree if the amount of gain directly or indirectly derived from the offense made unlawful by subsection (1) or the loss directly or indirectly suffered by the victim is greater than one thousand dollars but not more than twenty-five thousand dollars.
2. (b) A person is also guilty of computer crime in the second degree where:
  1. (i) he interferes with, causes to be interfered with, denies or causes to be denied any computer service to an authorized user of the computer service for the purpose of devising or executing any scheme or artifice to defraud, or obtaining money, property, or services by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, or committing any other felony;
  2. (ii) he deprives the owner of possession of, or takes, transfers, conceals, or retains possession of any computer, data, computer property, or computer-related property, including all parts of a computer, computer system, computer network, computer software, computer services, or information associated with a computer, whether in a tangible or intangible form; or
  3. (iii) the gain derived from the offense made unlawful by subsection (1) or loss suffered by the victim cannot reasonably be ascertained.
3. (c) Computer crime in the second degree is a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, for a first offense, a person must be fined not more than fifty thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than three years, or both. Upon conviction for a second or subsequent offense, a person is guilty of a felony and must be fined not more than fifty thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
(4) A person is guilty of computer crime in the third degree if the amount of gain directly or indirectly derived from the offense made unlawful by subsection (1) or the loss directly or indirectly suffered by the victim is not more than one thousand dollars. A person is also guilty of computer crime in the third degree if he wilfully, knowingly, and without authorization or for an unauthorized purpose engages in computer hacking. Computer crime in the third degree is a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, for a first offense, a person must be fined not more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days. Upon conviction for a second or subsequent offense, a person must be fined not more than two thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.