Bank of Ireland UK Asks Public to be Wary of Fraudulent Text Messages

21 April 2020

Bank of Ireland UK has warned the public to be wary of fraudulent text messages being circulated currently attempting to get people to disclose account details. The practice of sending fake text messages, otherwise known as ‘smishing,’ is frequently deployed by fraudsters and there has been a recent spike in messages aimed specifically at bank customers.

Bank of Ireland is urging the public not to respond to these SMS text messages, which are designed to appear as if sent by the bank and look like originating from a genuine phone number. Bank of Ireland never texts customers asking them to update or provide online banking information, and anyone receiving such texts should delete them from their mobile device immediately.

Customers should also watch out for the following scams currently in circulation:

• An increase in the number of daily malware and phishing emails
• Suspicious social media posts linking back to fake websites
• Requests to dial high costs phone lines operating as advice centres
• Calls from fake medical or charitable organisations asking for urgent money transfers
• Suspicious emails or texts asking for personal details or linking to fake websites

Bank of Ireland’s online security team continues working to identify new fraud attempts on a daily basis and any customers with concerns should send an email to 365security@boi.com if they spot anything suspicious. Customers can also take practical steps to ensure they are banking safely online, including logging out of online banking when finished and updating antivirus software installed on laptops, tablets and home computers.

More information and advice about how to deal with online threats and better protect yourself online is available in our Security Zone. Customers can also follow advice from the Take Five Campaign at: https://takefive-stopfraud.org.uk/