APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – Appleton police are looking for someone who’s impersonating an officer in connection with a fraud investigation.
Officials say in September a 50-year-old Appleton woman got several calls claiming she owed back taxes. This was the apparent beginning of the so-called “IRS scam”.
On the call, the woman was warned that the U.S. Treasury Department would be sending someone to her house to arrest her. A short time later, a man dressed in a brown uniform with a “Trooper” style hat arrived at her front door. He was driving a brown, 4-door vehicle which looked like a squad car.
Police say neither the man’s uniform nor the vehicle had any markings to identify an agency. The man told the victim he had a warrant for her arrest and showed her paperwork. She was offered the opportunity to avoid going to jail by paying the alleged taxes.
The victim was then directed to go to several specific stores to buy money orders and iTunes cards to pay off the fraudulent taxes. After sending the money orders and activating the iTunes gift cards, the victim realized she had been scammed. She filed a police report, saying she lost over $4,000 to the scammers.
The man who showed up to her house is described as having an olive/darker complexion, believed to be between 6’0″ and 6’2″, weighing approximately 200 pounds. He had dark hair and the name “R. James” on his badge. The victim believes he may have called himself “Robert”.
Anyone with information about this individual, you’re asked to contact Officer Hayes at (920) 832-5500. Individuals with information, wishing to remain anonymous, should consider Text-a-Tip. Text CRIMES (274-637) to APDTIPS at the start of the message.
In a release, the Appleton Police Department is reminding people to be wary of unsolicited calls. Government agencies, such as the IRS, will send a letter to notify people of issues. They will not call.
They also will not demand immediate payment of any back taxes or threaten to have local law enforcement personnel take a person into custody. They certainly will not ask for payment of taxes to be made with money orders or gift cards. If you think you are being scammed, do not provide personal identifying information (date of birth, social security number, credit card or bank information) to the caller.