‘Sinister’ hacking of Limerick priest’s email account

THE UNHOLY hacking of a parish priest’s email account is one of the most “sinister” scams gardai have seen.

Fr Roy Donovan, of Caherconlish/Caherline, has been the victim of the fraudsters. They are sending out emails to Fr Donovan’s contacts purporting to be him.

Normally email scams like this are full of spelling mistakes and promises from a Nigerian prince of millions. But the hackers’ email is well written, has a religious theme and is believable. It mentions prayers and Easter. It says that Fr Donovan is in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso for a two week Lenten retreat before “returning to Limerick”. It continues: “I have been trying in vain to get you on your phone please call me on (a Burkina Faso phone number) as soon as you get this email, I have something very important I want to talk to you about.” It is signed “Fr Roy” which he is affectionately known by in Caherconlish and Caherline. 

Fr Donovan said it is “quite sophisticated”.

“I became aware of it straight away because I couldn’t get into my account. Then somebody rang me saying they got an email saying I was in Africa,” said Fr Donovan, who has contacted Microsoft about the issue.

“It is a very nasty one because they have so much that sounds right – it sounds so good. They have everything, they have all my details from my emails,” said Fr Donovan, who has since opened a new email account.

And because it was a legitimate email address the scam email goes straight into a person’s inbox and not into their spam folder. Fr Donovan wants to warn people that emails are continuing to be sent from his old account in his name. He says he can be found in the parochial house in Caherconlish and if he has “something very important” to tell someone he will ring them.

Crime prevention officer, Sergeant Ber Leetch has seen every form of scam imaginable and says this is one of the cleverest she has come across.

“It is very sinister. It goes to show the depths these scammers will go to to get at vulnerable people. People know now not to touch emails from Revenue or Eir or banks – they are suspicious of them. It is the uniqueness of this one - it is getting at vulnerable people and using the guise of or the respectability of the local priest,” said Sgt Leetch. Her worry is what could happen if somebody rings the number.

“I’m concerned that a person, who believes that they have received an email from the priest, rings the number supplied and might pass on details of their bank account or some information which could be used to get cash from them. The advice is do not give your bank details to anybody, do not call back a number unless you know who you are contacting and delete the email if you receive it,” stressed Sgt Leetch.