Police in Northern Ireland have issued a public warning about financial crime after a woman in her 70s was defrauded out of her entire life savings of over £250,000.
The PSNI said on 21 May it received a report that a woman in Newry, Co Down, had invested in what she believed was a cryptocurrency scheme which she had seen advertised online, reports RTE.
The woman initially sent a relatively small amount of money.
However, she then “invested” larger sums on a number of occasions after the criminals convinced her she needed to send more money in order to recover her initial investment, reports RTE.
She then unknowingly downloaded malware at the instruction of the fraudsters, which they were able to use to gain control of her electronic devices.
PSNI detectives believe the fraudsters were then able to transfer further money directly from her account, reports RTE.
Superintendent Joanne Gibson, Chair of the Scamwise Partnership, urged the public to take a moment to stop and check any financial activity.
“The Police Service of Northern Ireland will use every available resource to protect individuals and communities from the harm caused by fraud and exploitation,” she said, reports RTE.
She added: “But I would also ask family members to take the time to have a conversation with their family members about fraud in order to try and safeguard them against criminals.”
“We know that this type of crime can have a far-reaching impact, but we can all work together to protect and prevent this from happening to those we care about,” reports RTE.
Superintendent Gibson said that fraudsters can be “extremely convincing” and use a variety of scenarios to make people believe them to be genuine.
“They are master manipulators,” she said, reports RTE.
“If you are concerned by the intent of a person involved with someone you care about, you can report to police on the non-emergency number 101. We will listen and we will act. Any abuse of that trust will be treated with the utmost seriousness,” she added.
The PSNI urged victims of fraud to report it on the PSNI’s website or by calling 101, and to also contact their bank immediately. Reports can also be made on Action Fraud’s website or by calling 0300 123 2040, reports RTE.
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