'IRS' Scammers Demanded Payment from Danbury Residents in iTunes Gift Cards: Cops

DANBURY, CT - Two separate incidents of IRS phone scams were reported in Danbury this week, according to police.

In both cases, the scammer insisted demanded cash payments for supposed unpaid taxes via iTunes gift cards or "via prepaid debit cards, money orders, or wire transfers from their banks."

"According to the IRS, the agency generally first contacts taxpayers by mail—not by phone—concerning owed taxes, and it will never ask for payments using a iTunes gift card, prepaid debit card, money order, or wire transfer," wrote Danbury police in a statement. "If you think you have been the victim of an IRS impersonation scam, please file a report online with the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (https://www.treasury.gov/tigta/contact_report_scam.shtml) or call the agency at 1-800-366-4484."

Below are descriptions from Danbury police of the two incidents:

On 05/26/2016, a victim (Danbury resident) received a phone call from a male party who stated that he works for the "IRS" and the victim has a warrant for his arrest, through the department of treasury. The caller explained to the victim that if he wanted the arrest warrant to disappear, the victim needed to pay the account off immediately. The victim was told he owes the "IRS" $7,800. The victim asked how he could wire the "IRS" money to pay the $7,800. The caller explained to the victim that he can not wire money, and the only form of payment the "IRS" would accept is through Apple iTunes gift cards. The victim stated he then drove to the nearest Apple store with the caller on the phone, and paid for (16) sixteen Apple iTune gift cards, valued at $500.00 each. The total amount in gift cards was $8,000. The victim then read the caller the code numbers on the back of each card, and the phone call was ended.

On 5/30/16 a victim (Danbury resident) received multiple phone calls from a male party who stated that he works for the "IRS" and told the victim he was going to arrest him and make him spend eight months in prison. The only way to take care of it was to take care of his outstanding balance of $480.00 immediately. The victim became very concerned and worried about this incident. The victim then went to Rite Aid and purchased $480.00 worth of iTunes cards like suggested by the caller. The victim then waited for the caller to call again and gave the caller all the access codes on the back of the cards.