GARDAÍ are warning against any online or phone interaction with cold callers asking for personal details after two Limerick people lost substantial amounts of money to scammers.
A man in his 70s clicked a link on a webpage with a view to investing in cryptocurrency. Shortly after submitting his details, he received a phone call from the Netherlands.
During the course of the phone call, the victim followed instructions of the caller, believing the caller to be genuine. He later discovered that a significant sum of money had been taken from his bank account without his knowledge.
Meanwhile, a woman from the Mayorstone area fell victim to a second scam.
The lady, who was also in her 70s, applied for a travel visa online. She completed the application, providing her personal and credit card details.
A few days later when she checked on the status of her application on the website, she realised this was not a legitimate site. Luckily, no further money, other than initial application fee, had been taken from her account.
Sergeant Michelle O’Halloran, Crime Prevention Officer at Henry Street Garda Station, said that “it is so important to check the legitimacy of any website you are accessing, particularly where you are sharing personal information and data”.
“I wish to reiterate a key message, which is not to discuss your financial accounts over the telephone. If you have any concerns, just hang up and ring the company back yourself using a phone number you sourced yourself. Don’t assume anyone who has sent you an email, text, or has called you is who they say they are.”
Sergeant O’Halloran advised exercising caution around suspicious texts, calls, and emails, ensuring never to provide any personal data including, PPS numbers, bank account details, PIN numbers, or passwords.
“If you have been a victim of any fraud or scam, change your passwords and pin codes, contact your financial institution immediately, and report the matter to Gardaí. Online fraud targets everyone, please remain vigilant,” she said.
