Woman Defrauded of Life Savings in Online Crypto Scam
An elderly woman in her 70s from Newry has been defrauded of her life savings through an online cryptocurrency scam.
On 21 May, police received a report regarding the incident where the woman had invested in a cryptocurrency scheme she encountered via an online advertisement.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) stated,
"Our investigation to date indicates that this woman has, unfortunately, lost upwards of £250,000,"
Detective Inspector Moffett of the Serious Crime Branch explained that the woman initially sent a relatively small amount but was subsequently persuaded to transfer larger sums on multiple occasions in an attempt to recover her initial investment.
"After she unknowingly downloaded malware at their instruction, they were able to gain control of her electronic devices and, we believe, transfer further sums from her account,"
Superintendent Joanne Gibson, representing the Scamwise Partnership, emphasized the importance of vigilance in financial matters.
"Taking a moment to check financial activity can make a real difference,"
She added that the PSNI is committed to utilizing all available resources to safeguard the community. Additionally, she urged individuals to discuss fraud awareness with family members to help protect them from criminal activity.
"We know that this type of crime can have a far-reaching impact, but we can all work together to protect and prevent this from happening to those we care about,"
"Fraudsters can be extremely convincing and use a variety of scenarios to make people believe them to be genuine. They are master manipulators."
