Gardaí issue scam warning and details of personal scam experience

Gardaí in Donegal have issued a warning in relation to scams, and to never provide your personal or financial details to anyone via phone call, message, or by email.

Garda Grainne Doherty of Letterkenny Garda Station issued the warning after being on the receiving end of an attempted scam, and said that if members of the public receive similar types of communications to her scam call, then to “simply end the call or do not respond to the message” and to “contact your bank directly to verify the matter.”

Detailing the experience of receiving a call from a man who purported to be calling on behalf of her bank, Garda Doherty said: “He knew my name and he explained that he was calling from the security team as a couple of transactions had been attempted on my account that he wished to check with me.

“He named one large transaction that I was not aware of, and then went on to name a transaction that actually does come out of my account weekly. He went on to explain that, as I did not recognise the large transaction, that he would have to cancel my bank card immediately and issue a new one. He said that we had to act fast in relation to the matter.

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“It was at this stage that the caller then called out my address, that he would send the new card to, and he actually had the correct address. He then requested my user ID from my banking online, which I explained that he would not be getting.

“I told him that I wanted to call the bank directly to verify that what he was telling me was accurate, and I hung up. I then contacted the bank directly.

“It turned out that no fraudulent transactions had been attempted on my account, and they assured me that they would never request a user ID over the phone as the caller had. I blocked the number that had called me as soon as I got off the phone with the bank.

“I wish to advise others to be alert in relation to these types of calls as they can appear to be genuine, especially when the caller is in possession of your correct name, address, and actually has knowledge of a transaction that does usually come out of your account.

“Never provide your personal or financial details to anyone via phone call, message, or by email. Should you receive similar type of communication, simply end the call or do not respond to the message. Contact your bank directly to verify the matter.”