ALERT: Clare householder targeted by fraudsters in post-storm scam, gardai confirm

Gardaí in Clare have confirmed they are investigating an incident whereby a householder was targeted by fraudsters in a storm-related scam.

In a warning, they say the individual received a message on their mobile phone which stated that they could avail of an electricity bill emergency benefit scheme.

"The injured party entered their details on the link provided in the message and money was subsequently stolen fromtheir account," said crime prevention officer, Sergeant Catriona Holohan who added that a similar scam was "doing the rounds" last October following the announcement of Budget 2025. 

"Severe weather can create opportunities for fraud in their wake, occurring at a time when people may be especially vulnerable, or targeting charitable intentions," added Sgt Holohan.

According to gardai, scammers use phone, text, mail, email and even go door-to-door to target residents in areas impacted by storms such as Storm Darragh and Storm Éowyn.

Watch Out for Red Flags

Urging householders to be vigilant, Sgt Holohan said: "First, know that government agencies, such as the ESB, do not call or text asking for financial account information. Remember that phone scams often use spoofing techniques to deliberately falsify the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity or make the call appear to be official." 

She added: "If someone calls claiming to be a government agency, hang up and call the number listed on that government agency's official website. Never reveal any personal information unless you've confirmed you're dealing with a legitimateofficial."

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Insurance Scams

If you get a phone call about an insurance claim or policy, the garda advice is to not give out any personal information or agree to any payment until you can independently verify that the call is legitimate. 

"If the caller says they're from your insurance company, hang up and contact your agent or the company directly using thenumber on your account statement," said Sgt Holohan.

"Bogus tradespeople may also call your phone or to your door claiming to be partners with your insurance provider. Don’t engage with anyone, ask them to leave a card or their details and contact your local garda station," she added.

Disaster Relief Charity Scams

In the wake of Storm Éowynm gardai are advising consumers that they should also be aware of scammers posing as representatives of charities seeking donations for storm relief.

"If you need to contact a charity by phone, check the charity's official website to see if the number you have is legitimate. If you're using text-to-donate, check with the charity to ensure the number is legitimate before donating," said Sgt Holohan.