Warning issued over scam letter claiming to be from gardaí

A warning has been issued by gardaí about an email scam where fraudsters tell a person they are being investigated for serious crimes.

The scam messages threatens an arrest warrant and national wanted notice against the person who receives the hoax letter. 

The scam message tells the recipient that they have a "criminal history" of crimes including "pornography, exhibitionism, cyberpornography, cyber onanism". The mail is made to look like it is from a member of the gardaí.

Gardaí said on social media: "We do not and will not contact a person that is under investigation in this way".

Gardaí posted a screenshot of the letter on Twitter.

It states the person will face penalties of “up to seven years imprisonment and a fine of 180,000 euros.”

The fake warrant adds: “especially if the offences were committed on the internet.”

We're aware of an e-mail based scam/fraud involving correspondence that claims to be from An Garda Síochána.

We do not and will not contact a person that is under investigation in this way.

Our fraud prevention advice: https://t.co/1edQLQmmu4#KeepingPeopleSafe pic.twitter.com/y1dCmOmneB

— Garda Info (@gardainfo) May 4, 2023

The email features the logo of both An Garda Síochána and Interpol. It tells the recipient that they “committed these offences after being approached on the internet on ‘advertising sites, pornographic sites, dating sites, opening an exhibitionist page'”

"The accused is invited to give his version of the facts, unconditionally within 48 hours by email for examination of sanctions," the scam document warns. 

"However, if the deadline is not met, a report is sent to the European Criminal Court of Justice to issue an arrest warrant to the police and a national wanted notice against you," the document states. 

Gardai issued its fraud prevent advice, which can be read here