Bitcoin bandits posing as gardai try to scam Clare man

SCAMMERS cloned the phone number of Shannon Garda Station and persuaded a local man to lodge €5,000 cash into a Bitcoin machine, writes Jessica Quinn.
Fortunately, after contacting gardaí in Shannon the man was able to retrieve his money. This is just one of numerous reports of scams operating in Clare during the week.
Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Triona Brooks has warned, “Never give out your information be it over the phone, text or email.”
She outlined that the Shannon resident received a call from a 085 number. The man on the phone said that there was a warrant out for his arrest and asked him what was his local Garda Station, with the victim replying Shannon.
“The caller then told him he would get a further call with instructions. He then received another call from a male saying that he was a police officer from Shannon Garda Station. The number of Shannon Garda Station had been cloned by the scammers. He was instructed to go to a Bitcoin machine in Limerick and to lodge €5000 in cash in five separate transactions which he did. Thankfully the man contacted Shannon Garda Station after lodging the money and due to the swift action of a member of Detective Branch in Shannon this man got his money back.”
In another incident a woman in West Clare also received a call from an 085 number and was told the same thing, however she hung up the phone immediately.