Fraud Alert

Sent: November 10, 2017
 

 
A Kenilworth resident was recently the victim of a telephone scam involving computer repair and the purchase of an iTunes gift card.  The scammer contacted our resident by telephone and convinced them their computer required some type of repair.  The scammer advised the resident to purchase an iTunes gift card and provide access to the card as payment for remote repair work.   A gift card was purchased and once access to the 16-digit code on the back was provided to the scammer, they disappeared and the resident suffered a loss in the amount of $100.

The Kenilworth Police Department wants to make sure residents are aware of this type of scam.  This string of scams is not new but the stories behind the need for money changes.  Scammers are asking people to make payments over the phone for things such as taxes, hospital bills, bail money, debt collection, and utility bills. The scams are committed using many methods, including gift cards.
Regardless of the reason for payment, the scam follows a certain formula: The victim receives a call instilling panic and urgency to make a payment by purchasing iTunes Gift Cards from the nearest retailer (convenience store, electronics retailer, etc.). After the cards have been purchased, the victim is asked to pay by sharing the 16-digit code on the back of the card with the caller over the phone. But as soon as you put money on a card and share the code with them, the money’s gone for good.

If you’re not shopping at the iTunes store, you shouldn’t be paying with an iTunes gift card. Other payment methods scammers might ask for include Amazon gift cards, PayPal, reloadable cards like MoneyPak, Reloadit, or Vanilla, or by wiring money through services like Western Union or MoneyGram. It’s important to note that Government offices won’t require you to use these payment methods.  If you're approached to use the cards for payment outside of the iTunes Store, App Store, iBooks Store, or Apple Music, you could very likely be the target of a scam and should immediately report it to the Kenilworth Police Department as well as the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.

If you would like to know more about avoiding scams, the following information is also provided by the FTC:  10 Ways to Avoid Fraud

Kenilworth Police Department
419 Richmond Road • Kenilworth, IL 60043
Phone: 847-251-2141 • FAX: 847-251-3445
www.kenilworthil.org
 

"Like" us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kenilworthpolice/