Northern Ireland

Fraud warning as GAA supporters frequently targeted with livestreaming scams

Sunday's National Football League GAA clash between Derry and Galway was the latest to be targeted by scammers attempting to trick supporters to pay for livestreaming.
Sunday's National Football League GAA clash between Derry and Galway was the latest to be targeted by scammers attempting to trick supporters to pay for livestreaming.
By Allan Preston

GAA supporters are frequently being targeted by scammers who post bogus streaming links to watch games, only to ask for payment details.

The latest example was for Derry’s National Football League game against Galway on Sunday, which was televised on TG4.

Despite this, multiple links to unauthorised streaming services soon appeared under a post advertising the game on the Derry GAA Facebook page.

One of the links was posted by an account claiming to be from Texas, which brought users to an official looking page that asked for new members to register their bank details.

False livestream links posted on GAA Facebook pages quickly ask supporters to disclose their bank details.
False livestream links posted on GAA Facebook pages quickly ask supporters to disclose their bank details.

In recent months, several GAA organisations have also warned members not to be tricked into clicking on the links.

This included Ulster Schools GAA in January, who warned supporters not to click on any links appearing in the comments section of Facebook posts.

Multiple GAA organisations have warned supporters against fraudsters in recent months.
Multiple GAA organisations have warned supporters against fraudsters in recent months.

The tactic is not new, with an undertaker in Donegal also reporting in December that criminals were posting links to view funeral livestreams and tricking mourners into making payments.

Derry GAA and Ulster GAA have been asked for a response on the frequency of the scams.

A PSNI spokesperson said: “Criminals will constantly change how they present their scam to lure people in and swindle them, but the core is the same - they’re trying to get your personal and financial details which is used to commit a more sophisticated scam where the losses can be substantial and, for some, life changing.

“The lengths scammers go to are extensive, and many of us now have to take a minute to question that email, that call or that text message before acting.”

Multiple GAA organisations have warned supporters against fraudsters in recent months.
Multiple GAA organisations have warned supporters against fraudsters in recent months.

They continued: “Our advice is don’t respond to unknown calls and texts; don’t give away personal or financial information to people you don’t know; don’t transfer money to unknown people and never click on links in text messages, or respond to unsolicited texts.

“The best way to fight scams and not lose money is to stop, check and report.”

Those who have been a victim of a scam are asked to report it to police on online at www.psni.police.uk/makeareport or call on 101, to your bank immediately, online at www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.

Scam texts can also be forwarded to 7726, with information and advice available at http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/scamwiseni or the ScamwiseNI Facebook page @scamwiseni.