Gardaí have re-issued a serious warning to the public about a telephone scam being used to deceive people into handing over thousands of euro.
A number of people have recently been the targets of a ‘vishing’ scam where criminals trick people into providing personal financial information.
Victims receive a telephone call to their landline from an individual claiming to be a “security manager” from a well known shop.
If they decline to give personal information directly, they are then asked to refer to either their financial institution or to contact gardaí.
The customer then hangs up, supposedly ending the call and assumes they are phoning either the bank or gardaí, but the caller has not ended the original call.
The victim then discloses their personal banking details to the fraudster.
Gardaí say they have received complaints of instances of “vishing” where people have lost sums in excess of €38,000.
Detective Superintendent Gerard Walsh from the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation said: “These criminals are targeting vulnerable, usually elderly people and I want to warn people to never give anyone details of their bank accounts or credit card numbers.
“Please remember that no genuine person or organisation will call and ask for your details,” she said.
“Gardaí are asking community organisations, relatives or neighbours of elderly people to help us to get this message across.”