ALERT: Kilkenny Garda warning after local person loses €1,300 in WhatsApp scam
Gardai have issued a warning about a new WhatsApp scam targetting people in Kilkenny.
The latest scam alert comes amid the launch of Fraud Awareness Week, a Garda information campaign.
Locally, it has emerged one person was lost €1,300 after they got a message from someone falsely claiming to be a family member who lost their phone.
Speaking to KCLR’s John Masterson, Kilkenny-Carlow Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Peter McConnon said: “So what they’re saying is ‘Hi Mam, lost my phone. In the process of buying another one. I’m on a friends phone here so you mightn’t recognise the number.”
“I need to get a loan of some money. All my financial details are on my phone and I need to purchase another phone. Can you send me on some money.”
Gardai have urged people not to respond to similar types of WhatsApp messages if they do not recognise the phone number they are being texted from.
