Clare gardai warn of numerous online and phone scams in county

CLARE gardai have warned the public of a number of sophisticated scams in operation in the county at the moment and have appealed for vigilance.

Crime prevention officer Sergeant Triona Brooks has highlighted a number of scams and provided advice on the proper way to respond to suspicious solicitations on the phone and online.

One of the main examples of scams currently in operation is the so-called ‘Technical Support and Impersonation Scam’.

Fraudsters set up fake customer support phone numbers and impersonate a variety of legitimate companies.

These scam phone numbers are placed on the internet to attract unsuspecting victims seeking assistance from what they believe to be the legitimate company.

The scammers who are skilled in social engineering have the ability to deceive and manipulate victims into providing their personal data.

Gardai have also warned of giveaway/competition scams whereby the perpetrators use social media to advertise a fake giveaway.

They post forged or fake screen shots of messages from companies, sometimes endorsed by celebrities promoting a giveaway and attach hyperlinks to fraudulent websites.

Fake accounts will respond to the posts affirming the scam as legitimate as part of the con. The fraudulent website will request a victim to verify their address by sending cryptocurrency to the scam giveaway.

Always remember that if it sounds too good to be true it almost certainly is. Scammers can come across as professional, likeable and trustworthy, it is part of the scam.

In a bid to educate the public on how to avoid being scammed, gardai have suggested a number of actions that will help people safeguard their data and personal information.

First, people should ask questions, as fraudsters are counting on the victim not to investigate before spending.

Thoroughly evaluate the background of any offer, broker or adviser before handing over hard earned cash, they advise.

Secondly, before deciding to invest, research the company. Unsolicited emails, unverified social media posts/advertisements, should never be used as a sole basis to invest.

Take the time to learn about the company and its products before investing. Seek financial advice from a professional.

Gardai advise that no-one should ever give anyone remote access to their machine. This effectively gives the scammer full access to the victim’s computer, online financial accounts and their digital life.

They also state that you should never give out your two-factor authentication security codes or passwords.

If you receive a phone call and they require you to give confidential personal information terminate the call. Scammers can spoof legitimate phone numbers, gardai warn.

People should pay special attention on social media as many recent ‘investment opportunities’ arise on these platforms. To protect yourself when using social media, gardai say, people should pay attention to privacy settings.

Modify privacy settings before posting information on social media sites, they suggest, and if appropriate, then limit the audience who has access. Who will be able to see your messages, only specified recipients or all users?

You should also limit the amount of personal information available to other social media users in your biographical details as this can be used to build a fake identity.

As for account or financial information, you should never post or give your payment details on social media.

Finally, with friend requests, carefully choose who you accept as a friend or contact.

Following the release of the Adolescent Girls Get Active Report, Sport Ireland has announced that it will soon launch a Coaching Teenage Girls in Sport Workshop, designed specifically to support coaches of girls aged 12-17 years of age.