Three people invested money after seeing a newspaper article outlining a “guaranteed return within 24 months”.
Gardaí in Kerry have arrested and charged a man in relation to suspected investment fraud totalling €125,000.
Three people contacted Gardaí in 2018 who believed they were victims of investment fraud between 2010 and 2012.
All three had seen an article in a newspaper about an overseas investment opportunity with a “guaranteed return within 24 months”.
However, no money was ever returned to the trio of would-be investors.
An investigation was carried out by Gardaí in Tralee and a man, aged in his 50s, was arrested on Monday morning, 15 March.
He was detained at Tralee Garda Station and has since been charged and is due to appear before Tralee District Court on 24 March.
Gardaí are warning the public to be aware of potential investment fraud and said that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
An investment fraud scam is a fraud where criminals pose as investment managers, promise quick and high rates of return, and simply steal your money.
The fraudster uses various investment schemes such as in rare metals, overseas property and alternative energy schemes such as carbon credits and forestry.
Gardaí said the vast majority of the crimes involve virtual assets such as bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies and there is often an element of hard-selling and aggression in the frauds.
The public are advised to seek independent financial and legal advice before making any investments.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ podcast – listen to the latest episode now!
