Vol. 566 No. 1
631 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the proliferation of fraud perpetrating e-mails; the measures he intends to deal with this issue; if he is co-operating with other jurisdictions on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11703/03]
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation (GBFI) is aware of the proliferation of emails perpetrating fraud. Tens of thousands of these e-mails are generated by criminal gangs every day in the hope that a small number of people will respond. This type of crime is a world-wide problem, and the GBFI liaises with law enforcement agencies around the world in attempting to prevent and detect such crime. The GBFI also liaises with Europol and Interpol in the international effort to target these criminal gangs. Fraud prevention advice is regularly and widely provided by the Garda to counteract these attempted fraudulent activities. One such gang was intercepted operating in Dublin in recent past and as a result of an operation by the GBFI, one UK national and two Nigerian nationals were subsequently sentenced to five years imprisonment following a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The bureau is not aware of any such gangs operating in Ireland at present. However, should any such information come to hand, it will be fully investigated.
