Warrick County Sheriff, Brett Kruse took to Facebook on Monday to warn residents in his county about two separate phone scams residents have been reporting.


The first is one that's been around for a while. A scammer will call their victim claiming to be an IRS agent, threatening arrest if they don't pay back taxes, fines, or other made up fees. The scammer will follow the threat with instructions that allows the victim to pay with either a wire transfer, through purchase of a prepaid cash card, or another type of gift card. As Kruse notes in his Facebook post, the Sheriff's Department did receive a report claiming the scammer asked the victim to purchase iTunes gift cards and read the numbers back to them.

The other scam Kruse notes specifically targets elderly residents. According to information the Department has received, the scammer will make up a story claiming the grandchild of the victim has been arrested and they need to post bail, usually in the amount of a few thousand dollars. Kruse also notes the individuals behind this particular scam go the extra mile of trying to convince their target the story is real by incorporating a second individual that poses as a police officer and explains the arrest process.

Remember, actual IRS agents or law enforcement will never ask for money over the phone. If you or someone you know lives in Warrick County, or anywhere for that matter, and believes they've been targeted by a phone scam, report the incident to your local authorities.

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