Scammers seek bank details to ‘f ix broadband’

GARDAÍ have warned of a scam in which fraudsters claim to be ringing from a utility firm seeking to resolve problems with the customer’s broadband.

The fraudsters request remote access to a laptop or desktop computer, debit or credit card information, and security details.

Gardaí say the callers are professional and sound genuine, and are able to transfer people to a ‘supervisor’ if requested.

Detective Garda James O’Meara said the scammers may have basic information about householders such as their name and address before they call. ‘We have a tendency to put a lot of information on the internet,’ he said yesterday. Detective Garda O’Meara said that one financial provider has had more than 20 complaints from victims of the scam.

He said that if anyone is suspicious, they should hang up immediately and find a number for their broadband provider from a bill or the firm’s website.

He recommended that people call the broadband company from another phone, as sometimes the fraudsters will have left the phone line open. He added that if anyone thinks they have been victim of such a scam, they should contact their bank and gardaí immediately.

The Banking & Payments Federation Ireland said people should ‘always be wary of any unexpected calls or texts, especially those asking for personal details or payments’.

‘Never give your financial or personal information in order to release money, refund fees, or access to your computer,’ said Niamh Davenport, head of the BPFI FraudSmart programme.

She said people should not be afraid to take time to make relevant checks, adding: ‘The caller will try to rush you or make you feel foolish and negligent if you don’t follow their instructions, but this is all designed to panic you into doing something you wouldn’t otherwise do.’

‘They’ll try to rush and panic you’

ali.bracken@dailymail.ie