GARDAÍ are warning of a new telephone scam in which thieves use the correct first five digits of a bank card to convince account holders to give then the rest of their information.
Limerick Garda Crime Prevention Officer, Sergeant Ber Leetch explained that she was contacted by a man who got a call on his landline from a person who claimed to be from his bank and told him there was unusual activity on his debit card.
The caller went on to give the man’s name and address and the first five digits of his debit card.
Said Sgt Leetch “He was completely taken in but, thankfully, when the caller asked him for the other digits of his debit card he thought that was suspicious and told the caller that he would ring his bank himself and hung up.
“When he rang his bank and explained what had happened he was told that it was a scam, that all debit cards from that bank have the same first five digits.
“The man didn’t know that and he was almost scammed. Never give your bank details to anybody but especially not to somebody who contacts you unexpectedly,” Sgt Leetch warned.
