Crime & Safety
Scammer Convinces Northbrook Man IRS Accepts iTunes Cards for Back Taxes: Cops
The victim was bilked out of more than $7,000 by a phone scheme claiming he owed money to the IRS.
Northbrook, IL—A Northbrook man was the victim of a spreading IRS phone scam that had him buying more than $7,000 in iTunes gift cards, according to police reports.
Late last month, the victim was called and told that he owed the IRS $5,000 in back taxes, and he could eliminate that debt by paying it off in iTunes cards, the police report stated. The man contacted the caller after buying cards in that amount and gave the caller the cards' serial numbers, the report added.
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The caller contacted the victim the next day and told him he needed another $2,500 from the man, the report stated. Again, the victim complied, the replied.
The man eventually suspected he was the victim of a scam when employees at the stores he bought the cards questioned why he was buying such a large amount, according to the report. The victim finally called Northbrook police May 26 after that.
Find out what's happening in Northbrookfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
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