Scam callers pretending to be Revenue officials targeting Kilkenny householders

KILKENNY gardai have urged local householders to be beware of bogus callers posing as Revenue officials.

Several people throughout Kilkenny have reported receiving calls from 051 and 01 numbers from scamsters who purporting to work for the Revenue Commissioners and other companies.

The callers tell the householders that they are entitled to a tax rebate before asking for their private bank account details.

In one case, and unsuspecting elderly local woman did give her bank details and ended up having money taken from her account.

Kilkenny-Carlow Garda Crime Prevention Officer, Sgt Peter McConnon, has urged householders never to reveal their bank details to anybody over the phone.

Sgt McConnon told KilkennyNow.ie: “No bank or financial institution will ever ask you to reveal account details over the phone, so if somebody is calling you and looking for your private bank details it is a scam.”

Phone and web scams are extremely difficult to investigate as the crime is often committed outside the jurisdiction.

Gardai reiterated: “If in doubt ring or call into the company the person is purporting to be from directly yourself. Do not use the number given to you by the caller. Make sure you hear a dial tone before making the call. If you are concerned that you may have fallen victim to a scam contact your local Garda Station or bank.”

*For more crime prevention advice, visit www.garda.ie.