AN elderly Worcestershire resident was tricked into buying iTunes vouchers to pay off a fabricated tax bill.

The victim, from Bromsgrove, received calls from a male and female claiming to be from the HMRC.

The victim bought the voucher and provided the voucher numbers.

A further call was received today (Thursday, August 3), telling the victim that they needed to purchase further iTunes vouchers.

Action Fraud have previously warned where fraudsters contact victims claiming to be from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and trick them into paying bogus debts and taxes using iTunes gift cards.

Victims are contacted in a variety of methods by fraudsters claiming to be from HMRC and are told they owe an outstanding debt.

Fraudsters all ask for payment in iTunes gift card voucher codes. Fraudsters use iTunes gift cards to collect money from victims because they can be easily redeemed and easily sold on.

The scammers don't need the physical card to redeem the value and instead get victims to read out the serial code on the back over the phone.

How to protect yourself:

• HMRC will never use texts to tell you about a tax rebate or penalty or ever ask for payment in this way.

• Telephone numbers and text messages can easily be spoofed. You should never trust the number you see on your telephones display.

• If you receive a suspicious cold call, end it immediately.

To report a fraud please call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040