Warning as fraudsters impersonate gardaí to tell people they are being investigated for crimes

 • 2h ago

A woman using a laptop (Dominic Lipinski/PA)© Dominic Lipinski

Gardaí have issued a warning about an email scam where fraudsters tell someone they are being investigated for serious crimes.

The scam message tells the recipient that they have a “criminal history” of crimes such as “pornography, exhibitionism, cyberpornography” in an email made to look like it is from a member of the gardaí.

Gardaí took to Twitter to share a screenshot of the letter that threatens an “arrest warrant” and a “national wanted notice.”

It states the person will face penalties of “up to seven years imprisonment and a fine of 180,000 euros.”

The scammer adds that this fine is “especially if the offences were committed on the internet.”

The email, which features the logo of both An Garda Síochána and Interpol, tells the recipient that they “committed these offences after being approached on the internet on ‘advertising sites, pornographic sites, dating sites, opening an exhibitionist page’.”

“We’re aware of an e-mail based scam/fraud involving correspondence that claims to be from An Garda Síochána,” the official garda account said on Twitter today.

“We do not and will not contact a person that is under investigation in this way.”

They shared a link to their fraud prevention advice along with a photo of the scam message.

Gardaí advise that any fraud or attempted fraud should be reported to both the gardaí and to the victim’s bank as it may prevent someone else being targeted.

A range of different scams are listed for people to look out for, including offerings of free trial products. investments, SOS or HELP messages, work from home opportunities, fake friend requests, clickbait and online shopping fraud.

“If you are not sure whether you are a victim of fraud it is better to err on the side of caution and report the matter to your local Garda Station and /or financial institution if relevant without delay,” they advise.