More than half of payment fraud cases reported by AIB customers this year originated from text messages, the bank has said. Known as smishing, the practice accounted for 57% of fraud incidents reported during the first ten months of 2025.
AIB urged customers to stay vigilant during the busy festive season. “In the run-up to Christmas, as people attend school plays, get through work and go to parties while completing last-minute shopping, scammers are targeting distracted individuals,” the bank said.
Smishing involves criminals sending convincing texts that impersonate banks, delivery services, or government agencies. Recipients are pressured to click links, call phone numbers, or share verification codes. AIB advised customers to never respond to unexpected texts and to contact the sender using verified details.
The bank also warned about so-called safe account scams, in which fraudsters pose as bank staff claiming an account is compromised and instruct account holders to transfer money to a “safe” account under their control. AIB said no legitimate bank will ever ask customers to move funds for security reasons and advised recipients to hang up immediately.
Investment scams accounted for 8% of reported frauds. While fewer in number, these scams often involve substantial losses and can target people through fake investment opportunities in cryptocurrency, bonds, or precious metals. AIB cautioned, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” and recommended seeking independent financial advice before investing.
Romance scams, which involve fraudsters creating fake online identities to build emotional relationships and extract money or personal information, represented 2% of reported incidents. AIB urged customers never to send money or gifts to individuals they have not met in person.
Other types of fraud reported include money mule recruitment, where individuals are asked to transfer stolen funds under the guise of easy jobs, and shopping scams, in which fake websites or social media shops offer non-existent goods.
Mary McHale, Head of Financial Crime at AIB, said fraudsters are “constantly adapting their methods, making scams harder to spot than ever before.” She stressed that awareness is the best defence, encouraging people to pause and verify messages before acting. “It could save you tens of thousands of euro and could be the difference between a merry Christmas and a broke one,” she added.
AIB said it is continuously investing in systems to monitor and prevent fraud, and it urged customers to visit its security centre online for guidance.
The warning follows a busy period for other banks. Last year, the Bank of Ireland received over 10,000 calls from customers during the peak holiday week, including 550 calls on Christmas Day. With online shopping and parcel deliveries at record levels, banks are cautioning that scammers will continue to exploit the season.
AIB reiterated that its dedicated fraud support team is available 24/7 throughout the Christmas period and into the New Year to assist customers who encounter suspicious activity.
