Gardaí warn about new debt collection threat scam

Gardaí have warned people about a new Bailiff Service scam.

The gardaí say fake e-mail correspondence states that an outstanding debt payment is due to a Bailiff Service and that failure to do so will result in the Bailiff Service attending the individual’s home address to inventory their valuables.

"We are aware of a current e-mail-based scam/ fraud where an individual receives correspondence claiming to be from a Bailiff Service," a spokesperson for An Garda Siochana said.

"The email will ask the individual to deposit a sum of money through bank details provided. We would like to remind the public of the following fraud prevention advice:

• Don’t respond to any unsolicited email seeking personal, financial or security advice

• Never click on a link or attachment in an unsolicited email.

• If you believe the email is from a genuine source, verify this independently

• Independently verify any requests for information and never use the contact details supplied to you by the caller or texter.

Roaring and shouting in Laois village

"We advise anybody who has received similar correspondence and has any concerns about it to contact us for advice. We also appeal to anybody who may have inadvertently or otherwise engaged with this scam, or any similar type of scam, and subsequently been a victim of this type of fraud to report it to Gardaí," said the alert