AN Garda Síochána is urging members of the public to remain vigilant following reports of a phone scam in which fraudsters falsely claim to be Gardaí and demand personal financial information.
In the ongoing scam, individuals receive unsolicited phone calls from people posing as members of An Garda Síochána.
The caller may allege that the recipient is under investigation for a crime or that a warrant has been issued for their arrest.
Victims are then pressured to provide their bank details or pay a fine immediately over the phone.
The calls may originate from both international numbers and Irish mobile numbers. However, Gardaí have confirmed that these calls are entirely fraudulent.
“We want the public to be aware that we will never contact them by phone to allege that they have engaged in criminal activity and we will never demand bank details or the payment of a fine over the phone,” a Garda spokesperson said.
Gardaí are advising the public to follow key steps to protect themselves from falling victim to such scams.
They have warned people not respond to unsolicited calls or emails requesting personal, financial, or security information, and if a call or email appears to come from a legitimate source, always verify its authenticity through independent means and not through contact details provided by the caller.
Gardaí have also warned people to never click on links or open attachments in unsolicited emails or texts.
Gardaí acknowledge that it can be easy to fall prey to sophisticated scams and encourage anyone who believes they may have been targeted to come forward.
“If you have fallen victim to any type of scam, please contact us so we can help,” the spokesperson added.
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