As humankind becomes ever more reliant on technology, so too do the world's scammers and crooks.
During 2015 the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) received over 300 calls and emails relating to fake lottery, door-to-door and rental scams.
We asked Fergal O’Leary, Director of Communications and Consumer Help with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) about which ones we need to watch out for in 2016:
Microsoft PC scam
"Twenty seven per cent of all calls about scams received to the CCPC’s consumer helpline in 2015 related to PC scams. This involves the scammer calling you claiming to be from a well-known IT company such as Microsoft. They say that your PC has a virus or has been hacked, then instruct you to download a file so that they can gain access to your computer remotely to resolve the issue. This gives them a chance to access your personal details including financial information. In some cases they even ask for your credit card details to pay for their “service”. This type of scam is known as “phishing” and normally happens through email, websites, instant messaging apps, social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter or over the phone.
Holiday home rental scam
"If you are planning a holiday, watch out for potential rental accommodation scams. This is where scammers go to an online marketplace for property owners offering places for rent; copy the information from various listings and then use this to put up a fake listing of their own. This scam is designed to get you to pay the full rental price or at least a sizeable security deposit upfront. Always make sure a listing is genuine before you make a booking. Research the person/company offering the rental property. If there is an estate agent in the area they may be able to verify if the property is a genuine rental one. Check if the property exists by looking it up on online maps. When paying always use a secure method of payment, such as a credit card or Paypal. Never send cash or use a money-wiring service because you'll have no recourse if something goes wrong.
Lottery and premium rate scams
There are a number of letters and emails currently circulating which are addressed to Irish citizens telling them they have won overseas lotteries. To claim the prize, you are asked to send on your bank details and your money will be deposited into your bank account. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to win the lotto if you haven’t bought a ticket so if you receive a letter like this one ignore it. Premium rate scams are also common. These start with a letter, text message or a scratch card in a magazine. The person receives a message telling them to ring or text a telephone number to claim a prize. This number will be charged at an expensive premium rate. It’s important to be aware that all Irish premium rate telephone numbers begin with 15.
Work-from-home scams
You may have seen "Work-from-home" adverts displayed, perhaps in your local supermarket or in a newspaper. These adverts sound great in theory, especially if you are unemployed, restricted to your home, or you simply need more income. You should be careful as many of these offers are scams. Often there are hidden costs that you yourself will have to pay, such as money up front for materials, stamps, envelopes, photocopies or placing adverts - then you wait for weeks and hear nothing. Another twist is where the company makes you pay for an expensive "instruction manual" or "tutorial" software. Some “Work-from-home” schemes may also be a type of Pyramid scheme. They normally involve the sale of a product, for instance, a beauty product, but when the pyramid scheme collapses people lose the money they invested. Pyramid schemes are illegal, and you could face prosecution for participating in one.
Online scams
Sites where you can buy and sell goods and social media platforms are now popular places for scammers to trick people. For example, you may be selling an expensive pair of shoes online. Someone contacts you to say that they are interested in buying them. You agree to sell the shoes and later receive an online confirmation email from a well-known money transfer payment facility advising that you have received payment for the shoes. Everything appears legitimate so you post the shoes to the buyer only to discover later that the payment authorisation email was fake. Make sure you use a secure method of payment, such as a credit card or Paypal. Never send cash or use a money-wiring service because you'll have no recourse if something goes wrong."
If you have been scammed out of money, call the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation on 01 6663777 or contact your local Garda station immediately. To keep up-to-date on current scams make sure to visit the CCPC’s consumer site.
