Police in the Fermanagh and Omagh district are urging residents to remain vigilant following a number of recent reports of scam and fraud attempts in the local area.

Superintendent Robert McGowan highlighted several concerning incidents, including one where a local individual received a phone call from someone falsely claiming to be from their bank. The scammer convinced the victim that money had been fraudulently taken from their account and that a new card and reader were being issued. Upon receiving the new card and reader, the fraudster contacted the victim again by phone and guided them through the process of entering their card details into the reader. The following day, the victim discovered significant unauthorised withdrawals from their account, with further suspicious payments being blocked by the bank.

In a separate incident this week, a resident fell victim to a bogus tradesman they found through a social media listing. After paying a substantial deposit, no work was carried out, and the ‘tradesman' subsequently deleted their social media profile and became uncontactable via the phone number provided.

A third reported case involved a man receiving a WhatsApp message from someone purporting to be his daughter requesting money. Fortunately, the man recognised this as a scam and did not respond. District Commander Superintendent Robert McGowan emphasised the diverse methods employed by fraudsters. "Financial fraud and scams can take a wide variety of different forms with criminals contacting would-be victims via telephone, websites, on WhatsApp, social media and even dating sites. It's important that people be on their guard, particularly when on the receiving end of any unsolicited approach for money or financial details, whether online or by any other means – including door-to-door cold callers."

He stressed the importance of caution, even when the approach appears to come from a trusted source. "Even if you believe it is your bank, a family member or another source you would be inclined to trust, it's crucial to be careful. Fraudsters don't care who they target, they only care about getting their hands on your money and will constantly change how they present their scam to lure people in and swindle them."

Superintendent McGowan encouraged residents to utilise the crime prevention resources available on the PSNI website. "Our website has a range to crime prevention tools, tips and information to empower people to stop fraudsters taking their money. Please visit www.psni.police.uk/safety-and-support/keeping-safe/scams-and-fraud/identity-fraud."

He also urged anyone who has fallen victim to fraud to report it to the police. "We also encourage anyone who has lost money due to any type of fraud incident to report it to us. Do not feel ashamed - you are not at fault. You are not alone, with support available at any time."

Anyone who believes they have been a victim of a scam is advised to contact their bank immediately and report the incident to the police online at www.psni.police.uk/makeareport or by calling 101. Victims can also contact Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. Scam texts can be forwarded to 7726. Further information and advice can be found at www.nidirect.gov.uk/scamwiseni or the ScamwiseNI Facebook page @scamwiseni.