There’s a fresh warning for people to be on their guard against scammers after a woman in south Kilkenny was tricked out of money recently.
The elderly lady answered a phone call from someone claiming to be investigating suspicious transactions on her bank account.
She was told that the problems could be rectified if she wired money to an account in Beirut via Western Union.
Garda Joe Reville told KCLR on Wednesday that the woman did as she was asked and the scammers ‘had the nerve to tell her the transaction hadn’t gone through and to try it again’.
He says she was saved from losing more money by the staff at the post office.
“The same person rang again a week later saying the transaction had not gone through and could she try again.”
“Luckily the post office staff were very diligent. They slowed down the transaction, contacted this lady’s relations, and they were able to stop the money before it went through”, explained Garda Reville.
“Unfortunately she was at a loss for the first payment but to prevent any further money going through.”
“The bank will never ask for any information from you. If there’s any doubt, either ask for the person’s name and ring the bank back, or go into the bank and talk to someone at customer services.”
“We keep hearing again and again – it’s about financial crime and fraud. People ringing you up at home saying ‘I’m from Bank of Ireland’ or PTSB, ‘there has been unusual transactions on your account, can you give me your personal details – your account, date of birth address’. No bank will ask for that information.”
You can hear our weekly Community Assist slot at 10.30am on KCLR Live each Wednesday.
