Bank & Refund Scams
Emails or texts claiming to be from AIB, BOI, or Revenue about locked accounts or refunds.
Overview
Bank and refund scams impersonate trusted financial institutions like AIB, Bank of Ireland, Permanent TSB, and Revenue.ie. These sophisticated phishing attacks use official-looking emails and replica websites to trick you into revealing your banking credentials, card details, and personal information. The financial losses from these scams can be devastating.
Common Approaches
How scammers typically operate in this category:
- •Emails claiming your account has been locked due to suspicious activity
- •Texts about "unusual login attempts" requiring immediate verification
- •Revenue emails promising tax refunds if you click a link
- •Calls from "bank security" about fraudulent transactions
- •SMS with links to "verify" your account details
- •Texts about a declined payment or a new payee, with a number to ring, answered by a fake "fraud team"
Scams in this Category (8)
Revenue.ie Balance Due Scam
Fake Revenue emails or calls threatening legal action or audit unless you pay immediately.
Revenue.ie Tax Refund Email Scam
Phishing emails claiming you're owed a tax refund, asking for banking details.
Raisin Postal Savings Scam
Fraudulent postal brochures impersonating Raisin Ireland, offering bogus savings rates and urging transfers to accounts controlled by criminals.
AIB Email Scam – Account Locked Phishing
TrendingPhishing emails impersonating AIB claiming your account is locked due to suspicious activity.
Bank Courier Card Collection Scam
Callers posing as your bank's fraud team send a courier or taxi to your door to collect your bank card, after asking for your PIN.
Personal Financing – Unauthorised Loan Scam
TrendingThe Central Bank of Ireland warned on 4 September 2026 that a firm trading as "Personal Financing" is not authorised to provide retail credit services in Ireland. It advertises loans from a .co.uk website and takes applications over Telegram.
Safe Account Scam – Fake Bank "Fraud Team" Texts and Calls
TrendingA text about a payment you did not make, a number to ring, and a "fraud team" that tells you to move your money to a "safe account". Your bank will never ask you to do that.
Credit Union "New Payee" Text Scam
A text from "Credit union" says a new payee was added to your account and gives a number to ring. The person who answers is after your login details, PIN and one-time codes.
How to Protect Yourself
- Banks NEVER ask for your full PIN, card security code, or passwords by email/text
- Always access your bank by typing the address directly or using the official app
- Revenue never sends refund notifications by email – check myAccount directly
- Be suspicious of any communication creating urgency about your account
- If in doubt, hang up and call your bank using the number on your card
- Your bank will never ask you to move money to a "safe account". FraudSMART, AIB and Bank of Ireland all say so
- Enable two-factor authentication on all banking apps