Garda warning over scam in which pensioner lost €10,000

Gardaí have issued a warning to the public about a ‘Dubai broadband scam’ in which a Limerick pensioner was duped out of €10,000 by fraudsters.

The scam is organised through phone contact with the victim, making it harder to detect the exact location of the perpetrators.

Sgt Ber Leetch, crime prevention officer at Henry Street Garda station in Limerick, urged elderly people and their families or carers to be cautious when taking unsolicited phone calls.

“A gentleman in his early 70s received a phone call at 12pm from a male claiming to be from a broadband provider. He engaged the gentleman in conversation regarding his internet (connection) and informed him that his bank account had been hacked and that he would transfer him to the cybercrime section,” Sgt Leetch said.

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“The gentleman believed this to be legitimate and provided his online banking details. He was then asked for permission to move €10,000 from his account to an account in Dubai as (he was informed) a hacker had gotten access to his money and it would be safer in the Dubai account.”

Sgt Leech said the man then agreed to this and that he did not realise he had been a victim of crime “until his bank contacted him the following day to say that they were investigating the unusual transaction of €10,000 to Dubai”.

“As always, do not give your banking details to anybody over the phone,” she added. “If you are asked for any details hang up the phone and call your bank yourself, they will soon tell you if you have anything to be concerned about.”