Suspicious Texts (Smishing)

• Requests for personal information: The message asks you to confirm personal or bank details.
• Urgency and threats: They claim urgent action is needed to avoid negative consequences.
• Links or Phone Numbers: The text may include a link to a fake website, or a number to call, asking you to “verify” or “update” your details.
• Fake Websites: Clicking the link takes you to a fake website where you’re asked to provide personal details. Fraudsters use this to steal money from your account.

Criminals can send text messages that appear within a genuine thread of text messages. Even if a text message appears within a genuine thread with a reputable organisation don’t assume it’s genuine. Please refer to our Gallery of phishing and smishing examples to see examples of BOI smishing text messages.

Need to be sure that a BoI text is genuine? Use our ‘TextChecker’ Service.

If you get a text that claims to be from us but you’re not sure if it’s genuine, here’s how to verify it.

1. Copy the text you wish to verify.
2. Paste into a new message.
3. Add the word CHECK before the text. (In the same text)
4. Send to 50365.

We will reply to let you know whether it’s genuine.

• Don’t click on links: Never click on links in a text message. Instead, search for the organisation’s official website and use the contact methods there.
• Check for website security: If you’re putting in personal details online, check that the website is secure by:
  • Confirming the web address (URL) starts with “https” (not “http”).
  • Looking for a closed padlock icon in the browsers’s address bar.
  • Noting if the address bar turns green (depending on your browser).
• Report Suspicious Texts:
  • Forward the text message to 7726 (SPAM) to let your network provider know about it. This helps them block the scammer’s number.
  • Send a screenshot of the suspicious text message to 365security@boi.com

Remember Bank of Ireland will never:

• Send a text with a link to log in to online banking.
• Ask for all six digits of your 365 PIN.
• Ask you to transfer money out of your account to protect yourself from fraud.

Known as the “mum and dad” or “friend in need” scam criminals are sending text messages through WhatsApp, claiming to be a friend or family member texting from a new number as they have lost or damaged their phone. Often the text message will start with “Hello mum” or “Hello Dad”, once they receive a reply they will claim that they need urgent funds to buy a new phone, or pay a bill. The criminals then send their bank details to receive the requested payment, and if successful may text again asking for more funds.

How to protect yourself

Criminals are targeting people by making them think that a loved one is in need of cash urgently – if you get a text message as described above take the following steps to protect yourself:

• Notice that your son/daughter/other family member/ friend’s name is NOT specified on the text message.
• Don’t assume that the person texting you is genuine – try to contact them by another method, for example through the phone number you already have for them, by email or though social media.
• Don’t send money without speaking to the person first to confirm the request is genuine.
• If you find that the request is not genuine:
  • Report suspected scam text messages to your mobile network provider by forwarding the text message to 7726 (SPAM).
  • Send a screenshot of the suspicious text message to 365security@boi.com.
  • Delete the text messages and block the number so the criminal cannot continue to text you.

Parcel scams

Parcel scams occur when a victim is duped into making a payment, or providing their personal/financial information to criminals posing as delivery services. Criminals send text messages posing to be a delivery service, including well-known delivery companies, the criminals claim they have been unable to deliver parcels or large letters and ask for personal and or financial details to be able to arrange delivery of the parcel.

The criminals will then use your personal and/or financial details to try to scam you out of your money. Ways they could use your information include:

• Identity theft occurs when someone steals your personal information and uses it to impersonate you. They can carry out fraudulent activity such as trying to access your bank accounts, opening a credit card account in your name or getting payment from a supplier.
• Authorised Push Payment (APP) scams occur when criminals dupe an individual into authorising a payment from their bank account. The first four digits of a bank card number are specific to that person’s bank, so if an individual disclosed their card details to a criminal, that criminal can identify the bank that individual banks with, then may call that person posing to be calling from the bank and dupe them into making a payment to a ‘safe account’.

How to protect yourself

Criminals may lead you to believe you are dealing with a genuine delivery service. Follow the below steps to help protect yourself from parcel scams:

• Don’t click on links sent to you by email, text message or social media.
• Whether you are expecting an item or not, if you receive correspondence to say that an item could not be delivered – Don’t click on the links; check the advice on the retailers / delivery services’ genuine website. Search for the website by typing it into the web browser. When entering login details or personal information, be sure the web page you are viewing offers encryption of your data by checking:
  • The web address (URL) has changed from ‘http’ to ‘https’.
  • That a closed padlock icon is present.
  • Your browser address window may be green.
• Report suspected scam text messages to your mobile network provider by forwarding the text message to 7726 (SPAM).
• Send a screenshot of the suspicious text message to 365security@boi.com.
• Delete the text messages and block the number so the criminal cannot continue to text you.

To report fraud, you can phone us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on the phone numbers below.

Phone from UK

Freephone: 0800 121 7790 (personal customers)

Freephone: 0800 032 1288 (Business On Line and Global Market Customers)

Phone from ROI

Freephone: 1800 946 764

Phone from outside UK and ROI

Not Freephone: 00353 567 757 007

If something looks like fraud on your account, we may phone you or send you a text or email to ask about it.

Report a suspicious email or text

If you think an email or text from Bank of Ireland UK looks suspicious, send it to 365security@boi.com

Lost or stolen card?

If you think your card has been lost or stolen, please phone us right away on these numbers.

We’ll cancel your card as soon as you tell us it’s missing and get a new card sent to the address we have for you in 5 to 7 working days.

See payments you did not make, paid from your account?

If you see payments you did not make, paid from your account, or anything that could be fraud please phone us right away on these numbers.

Shared your online login details?

If you have given your online banking details to someone, please phone us right away on these numbers.