Bank of Ireland warns bank consumers of new 'live chat' scam

Khalid Umar Malik
15 Sep 2023, 18:40 GMT+10

The Bank of Ireland has issued an alert about a new scam in which fraudsters trick customers into granting remote access to their computers and bank accounts.
The customer receives a phone call from someone claiming to be from Bank of Ireland, asking them to log into their online banking.
The fraudster then directs the customer to a new website address, claiming it is for a live chat service or to verify the customer's computer.

DUBLIN, Ireland - The Bank of Ireland has issued an alert about a new scam in which fraudsters trick customers into granting remote access to their computers and bank accounts.

The customer receives a phone call from someone claiming to be from Bank of Ireland, asking them to log into their online banking.

The fraudster then directs the customer to a new website address, claiming it is for a live chat service or to verify the customer's computer. Still, it grants the fraudster remote access to the customer's computer.

Bank of Ireland advises customers to hang up if they receive a call from someone asking them to visit a website or click on a link sent to them.

According to the bank, the fraudsters are primarily targeting business banking customers, and reports of this type of scam to its fraud line are increasing daily.

Bank of Ireland is launching a major national fraud awareness campaign to warn customers about the prevalence of fraud. According to a survey, 96% of consumers believe they will be targeted in the next six months, with 82% believing they are targeted at least once per month.

"This new scam is of particular concern because fraudsters are deceiving people to allow access to their PCs via a fake 'live chat,' where they can access business customers' online banking, as well as other personal files and information," said Nicola Sadlier, Head of Fraud at Bank of Ireland.

"We are advising customers to exercise extreme caution when accessing their online banking to ensure it is a legitimate site," Ms Sadlier said.

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