A retired Co Westmeath farmer has this week warned other rural dwellers like him in midland counties to beware of the latest scam. He went up the road to visit his brother’s house at about half eleven in the morning, having earlier collected two week’s pension at the local post office.

While the brothers were chatting there was a knock on the door. The brothers opened it to find a man aged about 40, holding cash in his hand, who claimed he had found it on the ground outside and asked did it belong to the brothers.

Surprised to be offered money by a stranger the two said that no, it wasn’t theirs. The man persisted and urged them to check. The retired man eventually took out his wallet to check – whereupon the called grabbed it and ran. He got about €700.

He hopped into a waiting car which revved up and sped off. It happened so quickly that the two brothers did not manage to get a full registration number. They were even unsure of the car’s colour. The man had no distinguishing appearance or accent.

Be careful

“The Gardai were helpful – they tried everything they could,” the man, in his early 70s, told the Irish Farmers Journal.

His advice to other rural dwellers is: “Don’t open the door to a random stranger. Call the Gardai if you have any suspicion. Never shown any money or your wallet.” He is now considering installing a panic button in his own house.

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