The Most Common Scams in Ireland: How to Stay Safe This Year

Romance scams are among the most dangerous types of fraud, because they often lead to emotional harm as well as significant financial loss.

They typically begin with online contact — on a dating site or a social media platform — during which the scammer will spend time building trust. Once a genuine connection has been established, they usually start to ask for money. 

In Ireland, over €7 million has been stolen from victims of romance fraud in the years 2019-2024, with An Garda Síochána reporting that the average financial loss was €28,500, with some victims losing up to €450,000. Here’s how they recommend we protect ourselves:

The fake bank call

Receiving a phone call from your bank out of the blue can be alarming. The number might look right, the conversation sounds familiar, and the details they quote are correct, but quite often, it’s a criminal on the line.

This type of scam usually involves telling you that your account has been compromised, suspicious activity has occurred, or someone has already stolen your funds. The purpose is to sound convincing so that you will hand over your passcode, PIN, or activation codes.

An Post Money says: “A bank will never call, email, or text you asking for your bank account or card details, user ID, PIN number, internet password.”

They also point out that banks will never send you an SMS with a clickable link to input your details. “Never share authorisation codes that have been sent to you by text with anyone, even if that person says they’re calling from your bank.”

If in doubt, visit your bank’s actual website and contact them using the methods listed there. If fraud has already occurred, ring your bank as fast as possible on one of their emergency numbers.

The bargain that never arrives

Have you ordered a dress, shirt, or handbag online and spent weeks waiting for it, only to find that there’s no package and no response from the company? If so, you’re probably among the thousands of people that have fallen victim to an online purchase scam.

This is now the most common type of fraud in Ireland, according to the Central Bank of Ireland. It often involves bargain prices and scam sites that are designed to mimic legitimate businesses, using social media advertising campaigns and AI-generated content that looks and sounds real. Some of them are even using handles and images similar to existing Irish businesses and influencers to create a sense of trust.

Citizens Information recommends that consumers protect themselves by taking certain steps:

• Always check website security by looking for the closed padlock symbol and ‘https://’ in the search bar
• Verify contact details, avoiding websites with only a contact form
• Check for online reviews from reputable sources like Trustpilot

Stay informed and stay vigilant

Unfortunately, scams are a part of modern life, but that doesn’t mean it’s inevitable that you will become a victim. The best way to protect yourself is to stay up to date with the most modern methods of approach so you can recognise attempted fraud when you see it.

FraudSMART (run by the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland and their member banks) is a good place to start learning about fraud prevention, with a useful scam-checking service. An Garda Síochána has a detailed list of fraud FAQs, as well as regular news releases aimed at increasing scam awareness. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) outlines more scams that you should be aware of, including rental scams, pyramid schemes, and fake ticket sales.

And remember, if in doubt, reach out to a human. Customer service teams like ours here at An Post Insurance are always happy to help reassure you and keep you safe online.

^{One Direct (Ireland) Limited, trading as An Post Insurance is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. One Direct (Ireland) Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of An Post.}

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