'Never click a link in a text' - AIB warns customers to be wary of new scams in circulation

AIB is warning customers of scam text messages circulating in the community. 

According to the bank, criminals are targeting customers by pretending to be AIB and contacting them via text message or by calling on the phone. 

The fraudulent messages often claim an AIB account has been frozen or placed on hold due to suspicious activity on the card. 

Victims are often told to click a link and "follow on-screen instructions" which, if personal information is provided, could give fraudsters access to the phone. 

In a warning released on their website, AIB urged people to be careful and "never click a link in a text message". 

They are also reminding people to keep card reader codes or one-time passcodes private. 

According to a report published in November 2022 by the Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland (BPFI), almost €45 million was stolen from people in Ireland through scams and frauds in the second half of 2021, a jump of 50% on the same period in the previous year.  

AIB is reminding customers that no legitimate supplier - whether a bank or a delivery company - will ever ask you to supply online banking information or passwords by text. 

They are also encouraging people to be aware of other warning signs, such as putting you under pressure to act quickly or unusual looking links. 

According to AIB, making it seem like something bad will happen if you don’t act quickly - e.g. ‘We will freeze your account unless you click here now!’ or ‘a delivery fee is due on your parcel. If it’s not paid IMMEDIATELY the parcel will be returned to sender’ - is a good sign that it’s a scam. 

If you are still in doubt, examine the link; most legitimate links will follow a straightforward format without additional words or punctuation marks (like aib-auth-id-20.com). 

Also, look for the little padlock and the 'https'; without both of these, it’s not secure. 

If you believe you are the victim of a scam, fill out AIB's fraud form here.