New Canaan Police Warn Residents Of Text Message Scam

NEW CANAAN, CT — The New Canaan Police Department is warning residents about a text message scam that's been going around.

Police say a resident received a text message from someone they believed was Apple.

The message claimed there was recent activity associated with the resident's Apple account and an order totaling $847.92. The message urged the resident to contact "Apple Support" for help in securing the account if the order was unexpected.

The resident then called the phone number and later "handed over a package of cash" to an unknown person the scammer claimed to be an "officer."

"They had to provide a special passcode and the victim was told the payment was necessary to recoup the money they owed," police said. "We want to warn the public that messages like these are a scam."

Police said a Google search of the phone number shows it has no affiliation to Apple. The text also came from an international number.

"When in doubt, do not be quick to pay any unknown individual and always contact a trusted person or call your local police department to verify if a message like this is real or a scam," police added.