The Marietta Police Department is cautioning residents about a recurring gift card scam and emphasizing that the IRS will never request payments in the form of gift cards.
Scammers are contacting unsuspecting individuals, posing as officials from organizations or claiming to have money owed, in an attempt to persuade them to purchase gift cards and provide the card information.
The scam often begins with the victim receiving a phone call, email, or text message, demanding an urgent payment, such as taxes or fees, to either claim a prize or avoid legal consequences. Scammers typically instruct the victim to buy a specific type of gift card, like an Apple iTunes or Google Play card, and then share the card’s unique identification number with the caller.
While some people may believe that using gift cards as a form of payment is safer because it does not directly involve their bank accounts or credit cards, providing scammers with gift card information only enables them to steal the victim’s hard-earned money.
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The Marietta Police Department reminds residents to be vigilant and cautious when receiving such requests. They emphasize that legitimate organizations, including the IRS, will never require the purchase of a gift card or the sharing of personal information to claim winnings or resolve alleged debts.
It is important for residents to know that the IRS accepts payments through various secure methods, such as direct pay, electronic federal tax payment systems, or checks made payable to the U.S. Treasury.
Gift cards will never be accepted as a valid payment method by the IRS.
If you receive a suspicious call or message, do not provide any personal information and report the incident to your local police department.
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