Latest Scams

So you're a Lottery Winner! ....(or are you?)

The Bank of Ireland has become aware of a scam currently being carried out by various groups of international fraudsters. This involves victims being contacted by email in which they are advised that they have won the Lottery (...any lottery, it doesn't matter which one). No ticket purchase was necessary - according to the scammers. The victim is encouraged to pay a fee before the 'winning' lottery cheque is handed over. This scheme is a FRAUD. Do not become involved. The copy cheques and bank drafts, circulated by the criminals are WORTHLESS. Many appear to be for hundreds of thousands and in some cases millions of Euro - we repeat, these items are worthless.

In the normal course, we advise any individual who has received a message from a suspect email address to return it to the remitting Internet Service Provider's abuse address (e.g. abuse@hotmail.com , abuse@yahoo.co.uk etc).

The attached websites may be of interest to readers:

Such attempts should be reported to your local Gardai / Police.

Alert - "Phishing" Hoax Emails
Alert - Advance Fee Fraud
Phone Fraud - 'Vishing'

Alert - "Phishing" Hoax Emails

A number of banking organisations and their customers have recently been the target of hoax e-mails that are aimed at gathering Internet/account details of the customers. Some of these hoax e-mails have encouraged or facilitated contact with hoax websites that purport to be (but are not) the website of the relevant banking organisation. To date the occurrence of such online fraud has not been extensive. However, we would always advise you to be cautious as regards disclosing your personal details. In particular, you should note that we will only ever request your personal details if:

you are seeking to initiate e-mail contact with us via this Website; or
you initiate a request for a particular service via this Website, and we require certain of your personal details to provide you with the requested service and the requested service is a loan/credit card application, a mortgage application, a request for a telephone call from a sales advisor, or a request for a pensions information pack or other product information.

At Bank of Ireland Group we are committed to ensuring the privacy of your information and seeking to attain the highest standards of security at all times. However, you should note that messages and information passing over the Internet may not be free from interference by third parties and should be independently verified. You should never disclose data over the Internet unless you have satisfied yourself as to the security of the related technology/encryption.

Please note that Bank of Ireland Group cannot guarantee the privacy or confidentiality of information relating to you that passes over the Internet. In accessing this Website and in availing of any of the services/information available on or via this Website, you are deemed by these Terms and Conditions of Use to accept that electronic mail messaging and Internet communication may not be free from interference by third parties and may not remain confidential.

In all circumstances the use by you of this Website is at your sole risk.

Alert - Advance Fee Fraud

Other types of email are also being circulated by criminals. These involve Advance Fee Frauds. Recent variations purport to have been issued by members of staff of a bank who seeks assistance to steal substantial sums of monies from dormant accounts. The criminals explain that the monies belong to some person who has passed away, perhaps in a plane crash or some such similar disaster. The information contained in the email is totally bogus, the sender is attempting to defraud the recipient. DO NOT RESPOND TO THESE EMAILS. Forward them to the relevant Internet Service Provider (e.g. abuse@hotmail.com or abuse@yahoo.co.uk) and notify your local Police.

Reports of Emails and letters purporting that you have an inheritance from a (long lost) deceased relative or requesting assistance sought in paying away 'Unclaimed monies' held in the of a deceased customer are on the rise.

Phone Fraud - 'Vishing'

'Vishing' is the latest form of financial fraud, whereby you receive a (probably automated) phone call that claims to be from Bank of Ireland or another financial institution. The caller or message may tell you that your online banking details have been compromised and that you should key in (on your phone handset) your personal banking details. Alternatively, you may be asked to call a number to rectify the problem and a hoax automated response system answers your call and asks you to input your full personal banking information such as account numbers, PIN and secure passwords, bank and ATM card numbers.

Bank of Ireland wishes to remind all customers that unsolicited emails or phone calls that you receive requesting personal banking information are attempts to defraud you so NEVER DISCLOSE personal log-in or other details in response to any unsolicited requests either by email or by telephone.

Bank of Ireland is regulated by the Financial Regulator. In the UK, Bank of Ireland is authorised by the Irish Financial Regulator and authorised and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Services Authority. Details about the extent of our authorisation and regulation by the Financial Services Authority are available from us on request.
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