Local Garda Mick Duffy has encouraged business owners to be alert for this particular type of fraud. 

This has the potential to expose people to fraud, scams and erosion of independence and autonomy, and it's just wrong.

47 year old Paul Lavery with an address in Ballinode was sentenced this afternoon.

47-year-old Paul Lavery with an address in Rafeenan, Ballinode who is a former Head of Finance with the company pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to defraud investors.

'Sergeant Duffy encouraged locals to never click on a suspicious link'

Ms Clarke says over half of those aged over 75 don’t use the internet at all, and as a result has called for a more 'inclusive' banking system.

The buyer led the victim to believe the money had been transferred via a bank transfer.

Gardaí are appealing to people to ignore potential scam messages.