€10.5m stolen from Irish businesses in invoice redirection fraud in 2020
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
In 2020, approximately €10.5 million was stolen from Irish businesses through invoice redirection fraud.
In most of these cases the money was transferred abroad, proceeds of these crimes can then be laundered through accounts in Ireland.
Invoice redirect fraud or business email compromise (BEC) fraud is where the fraudsters send an email to a business purporting to be from a supplier etc, requesting the immediate payment of an invoice or transfer of funds.
Fraudsters may spoof an email address, send ‘spear phishing’ emails or use malware to get the data.
Scammers pretending to be bank representatives or State agencies are using clever ‘social engineering’ techniques to dupe people into divulging their codes and PINs so they can then clear out their victim s personal bank accounts.
Updated / Wednesday, 10 Mar 2021
07:52
Gardaí say the HSE does not send text messages to confirm personal details
Gardaí have urged people to be on the alert over a Covid-19 vaccination phone scam, which involves people being contacted by phone and being offered a date for their vaccination.
The fraudsters then look for sensitive personal details such as the person s name, PPS number, date of birth and address.
Text messages have also been sent requesting people to confirm private information such as PPS number, date of birth and address.
Gardaí say the Health Service Executive does not send text messages to confirm those details and will not request payment for a Covid test or a vaccine
Updated / Tuesday, 9 Mar 2021
11:34
Emails over jury duty were used to gather personal information
A man has been arrested as part of an investigation into fraudulent claims over the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
The 35-year-old man was arrested in the Middleton area of Cork this morning by gardaí seconded to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, assisted by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau.
He is being detained at Cobh Garda Station, where he can be held for up to seven days.
Gardaí say that 73 people have had their personal details used to fraudulently claim the payment.
All 73 received an email claiming to be from the Courts Service Ireland regarding jury duty and were asked to provide some personal information, which included PPSN numbers, names, addresses, dates of birth and their mother s maiden name.