EPS Warning About YEG iTunes Scam!

Edmonton Police Service are issuing a BIG warning to Edmonton about an iTunes scam costing people up to $72,000.

The latest incident was a  tax-payment scam that duped a woman into purchasing $37,000 worth of iTunes gift cards, all of which she lost.

The scammers convinced the woman they were from the CRA and could take payment in the form of gift cards.

“She received a phone call from someone claiming to be the CRA, they do telephone number spoofing so the number that was displayed to her actually showed the CRA number.”

“She’d just had a baby, so the baby was brand new, she was sleep-deprived and she had shared with me that she was suffering from postpartum depression,” said Det. Linda Herczeg.

The Police say that victims of the scam are often asked to purchase a large amount of the gift cards, then give the security codes to the “CRA” scammers, which they put on the Black Market.

The woman who was scammed recently was pressured to buy by the scammers, and when she showed hesitation they threatened her.

“He says, ‘We’re coming to arrest to you, now you have no one to take care of your children; we’re going to take away your passport, you won’t be able to leave the country; you won’t get any benefits from the federal government.”

Canada Revenue Agency spokesperson TJ Madigan thinks the scam depends upon catching people off-guard.

“As Canadian as it may be, you cannot pay your tax bill with Justin Bieber songs,” he said, “But people get frustrated and scared and panicked when they get a phone call from Canada Revenue Agency asking for something.

“As the Edmonton police explained, sometimes in that panic and being held on the phone for long periods of time, they do things that wouldn’t make sense.”

Edmonton police and the Canada Revenue Agency say to call them at a non emergency line if you get a suspicious call or text from someone claiming to be be with the CRA.

-The Pepper & Dylan Show