As online shopping is at its peak during the holidays, fraudsters have been increasingly targeting consumers through scam social media ads.
They often lure shoppers with fake offers and direct them to counterfeit websites designed to steal personal and financial information.
Adverts, which are currently circulating online, offer deals and bargains while impersonating major retailers, such as Lidl or Tesco.
Last year, Bank of Ireland’s fraud prevention team received more than 10,000 calls from customers during the peak holiday period – from December 23 to 29 – with 550 calls on Christmas Day alone.
Head of fraud at Bank of Ireland, Nicola Sadlier, said that “Christmas should be a time of joy, not worry”.
“Unfortunately, fraudsters see this season as an opportunity to exploit consumers, and we’re seeing many fake adverts currently which are impersonating well-known retailers,” she said.
“Our fraud team is working around the clock, even over the Christmas and New Year period, to support customers.
“If something feels suspicious, trust your instincts and reach out to us straight away,” she added.
Examples provided by the Bank of Ireland include fake ads such as “€119.99 online discount store” on a treadmill, “combo of 4 drinks” for £29.40, or a laptop for €99.99.
Example of scam social media advertisement. Photo: Bank of Ireland
Example of scam social media advertisement. Photo: Bank of Ireland
Example of scam social media advertisement. Photo: Bank of Ireland
Customers are advised to be cautious of social media ads that “look too good to be true”.
They are asked to always verify they are shopping on the official website of a retailer, avoid clicking on links in unsolicited messages or posts, and go to the retailer’s website for offers.
The bank also advised customers to contact their fraud support team immediately on their freephone if they suspect fraud, with the team available 24/7 throughout Christmas and New Year.
A spokesperson for Lidl Ireland told the Irish Independent: “At Lidl, we take our responsibility with regards to reporting scams and communicating preventative measures to customers seriously.”
“We proactively scan social media for fake scams impersonating Lidl regularly and report them immediately to the social media platforms and have them removed,” they said.
“We also regularly run campaigns on our owned channels to warn consumers of potential scams.
“In addition, we immediately investigate customer alerts to fake scams and fake websites identified by customers through our customer care team.
“We urge customers to be vigilant and remind shoppers that the only way to get great value from Lidl Ireland is in our stores,” they added.
A spokesperson for Tesco Ireland said: “We would advise consumers to only shop on our verified sites online (tesco.ie and tescomobile.ie)”.
“[We would advise] to only click through links that similarly come from our verified social media channels in relation to promotions and special offers,” they added.
*This article was amended at 5.25pm on December 22, 2025, to correct the spelling of Nicola Sadlier’s name