Ireland Authority warns over new investment scam involving couriers collecting cash

An Garda Síochána has warned the public about a new investment scam in which fraudsters send couriers to collect cash directly from victims.

The warning follows several reported cases in County Kerry involving scammers posing as overseas family members requesting urgent financial help for a supposed investment opportunity abroad. After convincing victims to hand over money, the fraudsters arrange for couriers to collect packages containing cash.

According to Gardaí, the scheme is designed to bypass banking safeguards and make it significantly harder for victims to recover their money once collected. Authorities have confirmed the so-called investment opportunity is a case of fraud and deception.

Police said the scam primarily targets elderly and vulnerable individuals, using emotional pressure and urgency to manipulate victims into acting quickly without verifying the request.

A Garda spokesperson said investigators believe multiple incidents of this type may have occurred in recent days and urged anyone approached with similar requests to contact authorities immediately.

The warning comes as investment scams and impersonation fraud continue to rise globally, with criminals increasingly relying on courier collections, social engineering tactics and fake investment stories to avoid detection and banking oversight.