County Limerick woman suffers ‘significant financial loss’ in banking scam

A COUNTY Limerick woman has been defrauded of a “significant” sum in a banking scam. 

“A woman in her 30s from the Abbeyfeale area received what looked like a genuine text from her bank. It urged her to transfer her money and contact a phone number provided in the message,” outlined Sergeant Michelle O’Halloran, Crime Prevention Officer at Henry Street garda station.

“Believing the message was real, she rang the number. The caller claimed a suspicious transaction had taken place on her account in another country outside the jurisdiction and that, for security reasons, she needed to move her money from her bank account to another banking APP. She followed their instructions and, after that, was asked to transfer more money into another account,” said Sgt O’Halloran.

She confirmed that this scam “ended in a significant financial loss”.

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“Unfortunately,  we’re continuing to see new frauds pop up week after week. We all need to stop, think, and be vigilant, these scammers can be extremely persuasive, leading to one believing they are genuine,” he said.

“Do not click on links in texts or emails unless you’re sure they’re genuine. Do not call numbers provided in suspicious messages. And never share banking details or move money unless you’ve spoken to your bank directly using verified contact information,” stressed Sgt O’Halloran.

“These scams are becoming more sophisticated, and the more we know, the better we can protect ourselves and each other.”