It should be a dead giveaway – the Internal Revenue Service asking for payment with an Apple iTunes gift card.
But that’s one of the IRS scams reported by Delaware State Police.
Troopers have become aware of unsolicited phone calls from individuals claiming to be with the IRS.
The scam involves a person calling claiming the victim owes money to the IRS that must be paid promptly.
If the victim refuses, they are threatened with arrest, deportation, or suspension of their driver’s license, amongst other things. In the most recent phone calls, the individual requests the victim send money in the form of an iTunes card.
The State Police again reminded presidents that the IRS will never:
- Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill
- Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe
- Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card
- Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone
- Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
Many of these scams are difficult to investigate and gift cards are nearly impossible to trace.
