THE public has been warned to be vary of fake websites and adverts with ‘personal development’ offers after a recent scam saw a man lose £20k.
Police in the Ards and North Down area of Northern Ireland have issued a public notice, warning people to be “cautious of fraudulent websites and online advertisements claiming to offer personal development courses, language courses and certificates” following the report of a recent scam.
“Just this week, police received a concerning report of an individual being lured to a scam website, which promised a language certificate the individual required for personal development reasons,” the PSNI’s Chief Inspector Hutchinson said this week.
“Unfortunately, from what seemed like a legitimate site offering a reasonable amount for the certificate and a quick turnaround time, this turned out to be a scam, with the victim losing £20,000, following requests for more and more money.”
He added: “We see these incidents time and time again, where victims are encouraged to pay an amount upfront, providing personal details and even banking information, before being taken advantage of and pressured into paying more to get what they originally asked for, and this is what happened in this incident, leaving the victim not only out of pocket, but with the realisation that they were lied to all along and no actual certificate would be sent.
“It’s so important that the public, and particularly elderly individuals or those who care for loved-ones who are more vulnerable and susceptible to falling victim to a scam, are aware of the consequences of not doing accurate research before parting with money.”
The PSNI claims these types of incidents could be avoided.
They advise the public to “look out for websites with limited contact details or no verifiable business address, be mindful of high-pressure tactics urging immediate payment or ‘limited time offers’ and watch out for requests for personal identification or banking details beyond what is necessary”.
They also suggest that poor grammar or spelling mistakes, or unprofessional website designs, could be a red flag highlighting a scam website.
“Scammers are exploiting people’s genuine desire for self-development and I urge the community to thoroughly do research before sharing any personal information or sending money,” Chf Insp Hutchinson said.
“Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is,” he added.