Fraudsters targeting Kilkenny farmers with bogus machinery

Kilkenny’s farming community is being warned to be on alert for fraudsters targeting business owners online, including farmers, with fake farm machinery sales.

Fraudsters are directly targeting farmers with pop up social media ads, leading to bogus machinery websites.

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In a warning, Bank of Ireland say fraudsters are highly skilled at creating fake websites that appear genuine and persuade customers to share their payment information or make a payment.

Many scams are centred around vehicles like tractors, bailers, plough or seed drills, while others create websites to look like well-known companies.

The purchaser is often lured by the false promise of a reduced price or bargain and asked to pay directly, sending money from their bank account to another via bank transfer. Once the payment is transferred, the seller usually cuts all contact, and the product or service doesn’t arrive.

“Financial crime is a persistent and growing problem in our society, and no individual or type of business is safe from being targeted by fraudsters,” said Nicola Sadlier, Head of Fraud, Bank of Ireland.

“One recent example of a purchase scam among the farming community involved a customer who found machinery on a website that looked similar to a popular online marketplace. They transferred €10,000 directly to the seller to secure the sale, but once the funds were sent the seller blocked the customer and no goods were ever received.”

If people suspect they have been a victim of fraud they should contact their bank immediately so that the bank can take action to stop a fraud in progress and try to recover funds. Bank of Ireland customers can call the Fraud Team 24/7, on the Freephone line 1800 946 764.

Some advice to customers when making a purchase for their farm or business:

• Research and read trusted reviews to check the site and the seller are genuine.
• Beware of pop-up ads on your social media feed (fraudsters can pay to have their ads appear there).
• Go directly to the online shopping site by typing the web address into your web browser.
• Always view large purchases in person prior to making full payment for them.
• Links in unsolicited emails or on social media are not always safe and should be avoided.
• Try and pay by debit or credit card, as this could give you additional protection.