NINEVEH, Ind. -- A woman lost over $14,500 after she was a victim of an IRS scam Monday, according to the Johnson County Sheriff's Office.
A 50-year-old woman told police she received a phone call from a man named Robert Smith, who claimed to be an IRS agent, around 10 a.m.
Smith said the woman had a tax warrant out for her arrest due to tax evasion and fraud. The woman was told she owned $11,780 in backed taxes and if she paid $1,500, the warrant would be pulled.
A second agent, Ivan Reed, told the woman credit or debit cards couldn’t be accepted over the phone, so she purchased iTunes gift cards instead.
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After the card information was provided to Reed, the woman was told her warrant would be pulled, but she needed to pay her tax bill. To fulfill the balance, the woman purchased a $5000 Target gift card and was instructed to put her phone on speaker and carry it in her pocket while the transaction was completed.
Soon after the purchase, the victim was told another agent would arrive at her home that evening to go over paperwork.
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The agent then asked for $4,000 more as a security deposit for next year’s taxes and another $4,000 to clear a “red alert” on her account.
Once the woman realized she was a victim of fraud, she told the caller she would not send any more money. She was threatened to be arrested and have her wages garnished.
In total, the woman said she spent almost 9 hours on the phone with the agent.
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An investigator of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office has been assigned to the case.
The woman was able to keep all of the gift cards purchased, as some of them may still have money on them.
If you have any information on this case, call the Johnson County Sheriff's Office at (317) 736-9155.
