Bank of Ireland has issued a warning to customers about a rise in bank impersonation scams involving fraudulent text messages and calls
20:46, 04 Jun 2026Updated 20:55, 04 Jun 2026
Bank of Ireland
Bank of Ireland has warned of a surge in bank impersonation scams targeting customers.
The financial institution has noted a marked rise in reported incidents throughout May, with the trend showing no signs of slowing down. The findings highlighted instances of fraudulent text messages, alerts about suspicious or declined transactions, and communications directing customers towards fake phone lines.
Bank of Ireland is urging both customers and the wider public to exercise caution. They are encouraging customers to adopt straightforward measures to safeguard themselves, reports the Irish Mirror.
The fraud begins when customers are sent a text message that appears to originate from a legitimate source, such as Bank of Ireland.
The communication usually mentions a suspicious or declined transaction and applies pressure on the customer to respond or take action swiftly. The customer is instructed to ring a phone number provided in the message.
Upon calling, they reach a fraudster masquerading as a member of the bank’s fraud prevention team. The caller maintains a composed, professional and reassuring manner, but will then establish a sense of urgency. The fraudster persuades the customer to authorise a payment or disclose banking credentials.
In other scenarios, customers are informed their funds are under threat and must be transferred immediately to a “safe account”. However, in truth, the “safe account” is under the fraudster’s control and the funds are stolen.
In certain instances, scam texts can even display under trusted contact names saved in a customer’s phone, rendering them particularly difficult to identify. Nicola Sadlier, Head of Fraud at Bank of Ireland, explained: “Fraudsters use familiar brands and everyday transactions, and create a sense of urgency to respond.
“The most effective defence is a ‘zero trust’ approach. Pause and question any unexpected contact, even if it appears to come from your bank.
“Never rely on phone numbers or links provided in messages. Call your bank directly using a trusted number from its official website or the back of your card.”
There are several measures you can take to protect yourself.
First and foremost, contact your bank directly using a verified number from its official website or the reverse of your card.
TextChecker service – if you receive a text purporting to be from Bank of Ireland but you’re uncertain of its authenticity, here’s how to confirm it:
Simply copy the text you want to verify, paste it into a fresh message and insert the word CHECK before the text. (Within the same message) Send to 50365.
Should you receive a dubious text, email a screenshot to 365Security@boi.com and subsequently delete the message.
Bank of Ireland customers who suspect they may have disclosed banking details should ring the Bank of Ireland 24/7 Freephone line straight away.
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