Man scammed during online sale in County Limerick

GARDAÍ are warning people to be wary of fake banking apps, after a man in County Limerick lost more than €7,000 in what he believed was a legitimate transaction. 

The man in his early 30’s was selling camera equipment on the popular website DoneDeal. 

He was contacted by someone who was interested in buying the equipment, a price was agreed and they agreed to meet to hand over the equipment and the money was to be transferred. 

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On June 12, the two men met in Newcastle West and the man who was meant to be buying the equipment showed the seller a screenshot of a banking app with the correct transfer details on it. 

Sergeant Ber Leetch explains to Limerick Live what happened next: “It looked like the amount of over €7,000 had been transferred. The “buyer” left with the equipment, but the money never came into the sellers’ bank account. 

“It was a fake banking app and I just want to raise awareness of how criminals are using fake banking apps to trick people.”