Gardai have warned the public of a ‘smishing’ scam whereby people are being contacted by text message by individuals purporting to be from Allied Irish Bank (AIB) and claiming their bank card has been compromised.
The individual is contacted by text message asking them to log onto a website in order to receive a new card. As part of the process they are requested to insert their pin number and other personal data.
Once this is completed they are requested to send the compromised card to one of the following addresses, none of which are linked to AIB. The addresses are: Security Centre, 164 New Seskin Court, Arena, Whitestown Way, Dublin 24, D24 A260; Security Centre, 31 Rathmines Road Lower, Dublin 6 , D06 V4Y1 and Security Centre, 50 North Circular Road, Dublin 7, D07 V0FY.
The Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) are working very closely with AIB and other financial institutions, to identify those behind this fraud and those who receive, or use the stolen data/cards.
An Garda Síochána are also urging all persons not to respond to such text messages, but instead to take a screenshot of the message, delete it and report to your local Garda station.
Superintendent Michael Cryan said on Tuesday "I would encourage members of the public never to give out personal or sensitive information online unless you are sure of the source". "Financial institutions will never contact you in this way and a bank will never request you to return your card in this manner," he said.
“I would encourage anyone who receives these text messages to take a screenshot of the text, delete the text and to report it to their bank and local Garda station.”
The GNECB has provided the following advice:
- Never click a link in an unsolicited text
- Never give away personal data like your PIN, card numbers and passwords
- A financial institution would never request a customer to return a card to the bank in such circumstances
