PSNI warning as victim conned out of £20,000 in personal development scam

“Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is!”

Police have issued a warning after a person in Northern Ireland was conned out of £20,000 in a personal development scam this week.

The PSNI in Ards and North Down have issued the warning, urging the public to be cautious of fraudulent websites and online advertisements claiming to offer personal development courses, language courses and certificates.

This week, a member of the public was lured to a fraudulent website promising a language certificate the individual needed for personal development reasons. However, this was soon discovered to be a scam website, with the victim losing £20,000 after requests for more and more money.

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Chief Inspector Hutchinson said: “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.

“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.

“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.”

PSNI advice on how to spot a scam website

Chief Inspector Hutchinson continued: “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. On so many occasions, these types of incidents could be avoided if the following steps were followed”:

• 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’
• Watch out for requests for personal identification or banking details beyond what is necessary
• Be aware of poor grammar or spelling mistakes, or unprofessional website designs – sounds simple but these small signs could be a red flag

“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. Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is!”

The best way to fight scams and not lose money is to Stop. Check. Report. If you have been a victim of a scam, report it to police online at www.psni.police.uk/makeareport or call on 101, to your bank immediately, online at www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040. You can also forward scam texts to 7726.

Further information and advice can be found at: http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/scamwiseni or the ScamwiseNI Facebook page @scamwiseni.

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