Don’t get caught out.
A warning has been issued about a new type of scam that reportedly allows fraudsters to remotely access people’s bank accounts through their mobile phones.
Speaking to Patricia Messinger on C103’s Cork Today Show, Garda Sergeant John Kelly said that an Eir Mobile customer in Dublin was hit by the scam earlier this week.
A man in Dublin lost phone signal on his mobile phone, and thought nothing of it until the signal returned. When he checked his online banking, a loan was applied for and a number of attempts were made to withdraw money from his account.
The scammers gain access to the Online Help Section of the mobile phone provider website, and has access to the mobile phone user’s details from there.
He said:
“The injured party noticed that their phone signal was lost for approximately two hours.
“When the signal returned to the phone, a quick approval loan of €7,000 had been applied for on the AIB Online function that he used.”
He went on to say that the scam “is a new one”.
Gardaí have issued a warning to people to be on the look out for the scam, and also urged phone customers to notify their service provider if they notice any unusual activity.
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