A brazen thug has been marking Dublin homes for future potential break-ins using a very clever but cruel scam on locals.
The wannabe criminal has been rocking up to the front doors of residents in the Crumlin area pretending to be an television installation man.
The up-and-coming thief is said to be focusing on elderly people living alone with neighbours being warned to keep an eye out on those living alone.
He has no identification, no tools for the job at hand and wasn't long fleeing the scene when quizzed.
One of the homeowners targeted said that she had reported the trickster to the Gardai.
She said: "Man in Crumlin area calling to doors claiming to install a tv.
"He was carrying a small unit, no packaging, no ID or uniform.
"He was tall, dark hair, late 20s or early 30s and had broken English.
"He was sent on his way but just afraid he'll try and gain access to somebody's home."
She added: "I reported it to Crumlin Garda Station but if anyone has any more information or CCTV footage of him, it would be great if you could let Crumlin Garda Station know. Thanks."
How to spot a scam:
1 Don’t rush into an online relationship and, if you do, ask plenty of questions that can be verified.
2 Confirm the person’s identity. Check the person is genuine by putting their name, profile pictures and the term “dating scam” into your search engine.
3 Be wary of anyone who asks you to keep your “relationship” a secret.
4 Never send money or share bank details with someone you’ve only met online, regardless of how long you have been speaking.
5 Be wary of giving out personal information. Fraudsters will exploit this and quickly contact you.
6 Romance fraudsters often claim to have high-ranking roles that keep them away from home for a long time. This could be a ploy to deter your suspicions around not meeting in person.
7 Fraudsters may attempt to steer you away from chatting on a legitimate dating site. Stay on the platform that you started using, rather than switching to email, text or phone.
