AIB issues warning as fraudsters use real names and titles of bank employees

“If it seems too good to be true, it probably is,” said an AIB spokesman.

AIB, in a press release, urged people to remain extremely cautious and vigilant about these scams, as there are many of them currently in circulation. They claim to be AIB and other major banks but carry “similar branding with minor differences”, the bank said.

An individual or a fake website may contact a customer to offer investment products claiming to be from real and well-known names in the financial services industry.

Fraudsters may be in possession of sophisticated brochures or other materials that are almost indistinguishable from the original documents.

Scammers often use names and job titles of people at AIB or other banks who appear legitimate but are followed by a fake email address: “for example johndoe@aibirish.ie”.

The customer then receives the documents to be filled out and a request to transfer money to an unauthorized account that does not belong to the financial service provider. This chain of events often results in customers losing their money.

The bank said these offenses typically happen when a customer is pressed for time “to achieve the best return.”

AIB warned of the increasing risk of falling into this trap and gave advice on how to avoid scammers.

Customers should always check the contact details on the company’s official website. They also need to verify the advisor by checking the bank’s website to see if the office location and phone numbers match.

AIB warned against using a phone number received in the email and instead confirming the number on the website.

The email address should follow the company’s official format, which can be verified by comparing with the available email addresses on the official website.

There should be a padlock icon to the left of the web address, indicating that the website is secure.

If you have any doubts about payments, AIB recommends simply calling the bank who will ensure the transaction and recipient account are verified. This step could prevent the money from being stolen.

Even if an advisor has been recommended by a trusted person, clients should seek investment advice from a regulated financial advisor.

AIB suggested checking the Central Bank of Ireland Consumer Center (centralbank.ie) for a list of unauthorized firms to learn how to avoid financial fraud.

Responding to the increasing number of scams, Carol Lawton, head of financial crime at AIB, said: “Investment scams can be very distressing for people as they often take place after careful consideration and involve significant amounts of money, in some cases even people’s life savings. “”

“These scams can be very sophisticated, using high quality, often authentic brochures and other materials to trick people into investing.

“We know that criminals also use legitimate names and job titles of people working in banks such as AIB and others.