Gardai in Athlone are investigating after they were made aware of a new sophisticated scam involving fake financial exchange websites.
Detectives were alerted after a woman in the UK received what she thought was a genuine payment from a buyer in Athlone town for a jacket worth over €1100 in recent days.
However, after further examination, it turned out the email receipt the woman received from the buyer was from a fake website and no money was exchanged before the goods were posted to an address in Athlone.
Gardai were informed and the goods were subsequently recovered with the occupants of the home unaware their address had been used in the scam.
Sgt Andrew Haran of Athlone Garda station says it is vital people check if money has been lodged in a bank before they post or exchange items
