Ireland scams: People warned as fraudsters use one trick to con users out of thousands

People have been warned about the latest scam that could see you conned out of thousands.

In particular, people have been urged to remain on high alert when receiving emails about delivery company DHL.

DHL has become the most used brand name by scammers as they try to benefit from many people now working from home and depending on the delivery service provider.

If you haven't made any online purchases lately and get an email from the supposed firm, more than likely, the message is a scam.

Hands holding credit card, typing on the keyboard of laptop, onine shopping detail close up (gettyimages.ie)

The fraudsters will send out the email in the hopes that an unsuspecting customer will provide personal information such as bank details and passwords.

DHL has now overtaken Microsoft, WhatsApp, Google and Amazon in scammers go to masquerade brand.

The scam messages often attempt to lure consumers into clicking by stating that a parcel is out for delivery and must be tracked in order to receive it.

They usually feature a link that takes people to fake websites that look almost identical to the official homepage and then asks the person to input their details.

According to security firm Check Point, the rise in online shopping has led to a boom in DHL scams, with 23 per cent of all brand phishing attempts related to DHL in the last part of 2021 - up from just 9 per cent in the previous quarter.

They said: "In Q4, global logistics and distribution company DHL ended Microsoft's long-standing reign as the brand most frequently imitated by cybercriminals in attempts to steal credentials or deploy malware via sophisticated phishing techniques.

"FedEx also appeared in the top ten list for the first time in Q4 2021, no doubt the result of threat actors trying to target vulnerable online shoppers in the run-up to the festive season as the pandemic remained a key concern."

Other companies also remain on the alert list, including Microsoft, WhatsApp, Google, LinkedIn and Amazon.

People have been warned that if they receive an unsolicited message from any of these brands, they should not click on the links unless they are 100 per cent sure that it is legitimate.