KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

HOW TO DEAL WITH SCAMS

Question: I think I’ve been scammed, can I get my money back?

Answer: If you’ve been scammed, you have been tricked into parting with your money.

The scam can come in many forms. You may be sold fake tickets that don’t exist. You may get a missed call from a scammer and when you phone back you could be paying a premium rate. You could get a bogus email pretending to be from your bank, trying to trick you into sharing your personal and financial information.

If you suspect you’ve been scammed you should act immediately:

Stop all contact with the scammer Do not send any more payments

If you paid by credit or debit card, tell your bank or card provider immediately

Report the incident to your local Garda station --scamming is a criminal matter

Gather any records you have about the scam (emails or other communications)

Protect your devices by resetting your passwords and update your anti-virus software

Report the incident to consumer protection agencies such as the CPCC, for advice and to help stop other people being caught in the same scam

You may be able to get your money back depending on what happened and how you paid the scammer.

You may get your money back if you: Notice money has been taken from your account without your authorisation, and you contact your bank immediately. In most circumstances, you bank must refund you for an unauthorised payment.

Bought something from a scammer with your debit card, credit card or PayPal. You can ask your bank or credit provider to reverse the transaction through a process known as a chargeback. It’s unlikely you will get your money back if you:

Paid by bank transfer. It can be harder to get money back, but the sooner you contact your bank the better.

Paid by money transfer services such as MoneyGram, PayPoint or Western Union. Paid by vouchers or gift card To protect yourself in future, you should not share your personal information if you don’t know who are dealing with. Trust your instinct and always ask yourself =91is it safe?’ You can read more about how to protect yourself from scams on citizensinformation.ie. During the COVID-19 pandemic, you can find comprehensive integrated information online at citizensinformation.ie/covid19/ and you can get daily updates on what’s changed on Twitter at @citizensinfo. You can also get information and advice from:

Tralee on Tel: 0761 07 7860 Mon -- Fri (10am-4pm)

The Citizens Information Phone Service: Call 0761 07 4000, Monday to Friday, 9am -8pm

Our national call back service: Visit citizensinformation.ie/ callback to request a phone call from an information officer