An Garda Síochána are warning people of elaborate scams where fraudsters pose as reputable companies.
Vishing, smishing and phishing are causing chaos across the country with the prevalence of these scams sharply increasing.
Vishing refers to fraud phone calls and smishing covers fraud texts.
Phishing may also not be an overly familiar term but it means sending fraud emails.
There was an 111% increase in overall fraud offences in 2021 with a whopping 370% increase in fraud related crimes of vishing/smishing/phising.
An Garda Siochana are now urging people to stop and think before clicking a link, even if it looks like it may be from a reputable company.
People should be particularly wary of unsolicited calls, texts and emails.
Fraudsters often pose as banks or other financial institutions, invite you to a link that brings you to a cloned website and asks for your pin.
They might also look for other personal data like your address, date of birth or PPS number in order to steal your date.
An Garda Síochána are warning the public to never give away personal data such as bank account details, PIN numbers, credit card numbers, passwords, one time codes, PPS numbers and Eircodes.
Victims of these scams should change their passwords and report the crime to gardaí and their bank.
One person in Killarney had €10,000 removed from their account last year due to one of these scams with gardai convicting the cyber criminal.
It is vital that members of the public act…
