Gardaí issue warning as Mayo business stung by fraudster
One agricultural business in Belmullet is at a significant loss following an incident earlier this month.
Gardaí in the Mayo Roscommon Longford Division are investigating a number of recent incidents where unscrupulous criminals are targeting agricultural suppliers.
One business in Belmullet is at a significant loss following an incident on July 18 last whereby the agri supplier agreed the sale of cow mats to the value of €6,000. The purchaser forwarded alleged proof of payment and collected the mats, however, the money has not come through and nor have the goods been returned.
Similarly, in the Strokestown area of Co Roscommon, an agri supplier who had a tri-axle cattle trailer advertised on DoneDeal, was contacted by a buyer, with a northern accent, and agreed a price of €8,500 for the trailer. The buyer sent on a picture of a Bank draft for that amount to the seller and arranged for another male to collect the trailer, which he did on July 24, however, the bank draft did not arrive.
Both sellers are now at considerable losses and Sergeant Sean Cunnane, Crime Prevention Officer, is warning agri suppliers to consider the following when selling goods:
• Know your buyer – conduct thorough background checks on potential buyers.
• Secure payment methods – use secure and traceable payment methods such as bank transfers, credit cards or trusted escrow services. Avoid accepting personal cheques or cash from unknown buyers.
• Require deposits – for large orders, require a deposit or partial payment upfront before shipping/collection of the goods.
• Report suspicious activity – if you encounter suspicious behavior or believe you are the target of fraud contact An Garda Síochána on 999. Sharing this information can help protect other sellers.
