The Pella Police Department is alerting residents about a scam that is currently occurring in the community.
Pella Police Chief Robert Bokinsky tells KNIA/KRLS News scammers are using a technique called spoofing.
“The scam artist or the perpetrator will actually send a phone call from another destination, but in doing so, they’re able to make it appear that the call through caller ID originated here at the Pella Police Department, and that gives them a measure of credibility that we don’t appreciate,” he says.
Bokinsky says the scammers are pressuring residents into acting immediately, which law enforcement officers and IRS agents will never do.
The steps include (from the Pella PD):
1. A person receives an unsolicited telephone call on their home or cellular telephone.
2. The caller ID may reflect that the telephone call originated from the Pella Police Department’s non-emergency number [641-628-4921].
3. The caller identifies him or herself as a representative of the IRS, and that there is an arrest warrant issued for them for unpaid back taxes.
4. The caller introduces an element of urgency by informing the victim that the Pella PD will arrest them if payment is not made promptly.
5. The caller instructs the victim to load iTunes or other gift cards with an amount of money to satisfy the alleged debt.
6. The victim is then told to provide the caller with the card number, allowing the perpetrator to immediately remove the money from the card and distribute the funds to secure accounts.
The Pella Police Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) never operate in this manner. Citizens receiving a telephone call such as this should immediately suspect fraud and discontinue the telephone call, and contact an area law enforcement agency.