Scams & Fraud: Stop, Think and Check!

March 20, 2025

As part of Global Money Week 2025, we’re dropping daily news stories, and this one’s all about staying safe online! This is the fourth story in our Global Money Week series, so if you missed the others, you can view them in consumer news.

This year’s Global Money Week theme is all about finding trustworthy financial information online. Unfortunately, though, scammers are getting sneakier by the day. From convincing fake clothes websites to shady DMs, fraudsters are constantly trying to trick you into giving up your hard-earned money. That’s why it’s super important to stay sharp and protect your personal info!

Let’s check out some of the most common scams targeting young people today:

Money Mules – Don’t get caught in the trap.

A money mule is someone tricked into moving illegal money through their bank account. According to Fraudsmart, nearly half of 18–24-year-olds know someone who’s been asked to do this! It could come through a fake job offer, through social media DMs, or maybe even someone you vaguely know.

These criminals might promise you big rewards like cash or expensive gifts for “holding” money in your account. Be warned – this is money laundering. If you get caught, you could face serious consequences like being banned from having a bank account, fines, or even prison time.

Ticket Scams – Don’t fall for fakes!

Have you ever been disappointed you’ve missed out on a ticket to a sold-out concert, only to find someone miraculously selling one online? Unfortunately, if it seems too good to be true, it usually is.

Scammers prey on people desperate to see their favourite artist by selling fake tickets. You’ll hand over your cash and either never get the ticket or get a fake one that won’t let you into the event.

To learn more about ticket scams, visit our scams web page.

Crypto and scams

Every so often, the trend of buying and investing in Crypto and Forex trading rolls back around on social media.

While Forex trading and Crypto is not always a scam, it is an investment that carries a significant amount of risk and is not guaranteed. You could easily lose all the money you put in, with no way of getting it back.

It can be easy to get sucked into the hype – you’ll often see spreadsheets of profit and loss charts, where people appear to be making hundreds or thousands of euros or dollars. And it might all seem so simple – but again, if something is too good to be true, it usually is.

Crypto can be a scam however, and can happen in the form of romance scams, impersonation, fake websites or through phishing. Check out this handy video about scams by the Central Bank of Ireland, to learn more.

Other scams

Be on the lookout for:

• Email Fraud,
• Phone Fraud,
• Online Fraud

…..and many more!

Check out websites like FraudSmart, Central Bank and the CCPC to learn more about the scams affecting people in Ireland every day.

And remember, before you hand over any personal details or money, Stop, Think and Check!

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