111% increase in online and phone scams

Gardaí are appealing to the public to be vigilant of online and phone scams after 2021 saw a 111% increase in fraud offences.

Citing an incident in Killarney in which €10,000 was stolen through a fraudulent bank text alert scam, gardaí say incidences of vishing, phishing and smishing have increased by 370%. Vishing involves fraud phone calls, smishing involves fraud texts and phishing involves fraud emails.

An Garda Síochána is asking members of the public to be wary of unsolicited phone calls, emails and texts and to never give away personal data such as bank account details, PIN numbers or passwords.