SHOCKING! Lady in Kilkenny 'codded' out of €3,500

A lady in Kilkenny was recently 'codded' out of €3,500.

That's according to Kilkenny TD, John McGuinness, who was speaking at a Dáil Éireann debate on the Digital Services Bill 2023.

"I see a very significant gap between those who are familiar with online business and those who are not properly educated, for want of a better term, on what can happen online," he said.

"As a result of that gap, one can get scams of all sorts happening. Therefore, I would like to include in this Bill some form of recognition that companies are obliged to ensure that when a person's name has been included in some form of scam, he or she can make an input to the online platforms to ensure they work to prevent it from happening in the future.

"I am thinking of older people at home who are contacted by a service provider and coaxed into giving their financial details.

"A lady in Kilkenny was codded out of €3,500. It happened in split seconds and the money was gone. Her efforts to deal with the banks and with the company came to naught because they ignored her.

"We have to reach out to those people and ensure those who are involved in that type of transaction can be held to account. In fact, one can see online through purchases how one can be codded very easily and how easily one can lose one's money.

"As such, there is a constant battle that must be fought with those bigger companies, but we must ensure there is not a digital divide between those who are older or maybe younger who are simply not literate in all these activities."