skip to main content

AIB urges vigilance after rise in 'taxi scam' fraud

The scam involves a customer receiving a fraudulent text purporting to be from a bank
The scam involves a customer receiving a fraudulent text purporting to be from a bank

AIB has warned of a rise in the number of scams in which customers are visited by a taxi driver or courier supposedly sent by the bank to collect their card.

The bank said it is also aware of instances in recent days in which scammers gave instructions to leave cards under front door mats for collection.

It has urged customers to remain vigilant amid a rise in so-called "taxi scam" fraud.

The scam involves a customer receiving a fraudulent text purporting to be from a bank, a utility company or another legitimate business containing a link to click.

Customers believe the text is genuine and provide personal, login and card details to the fraudulent site.

They then receive a follow-up call from an individual claiming to be from their bank and are told their card is compromised and needs to be collected.

In some cases, they are also told to include their pin code.

The stolen card is then used for ATM withdrawals or payment fraud

Following this, a taxi driver or courier arrives at their address and collects the card.

On occasion, multiple bank cards have been collected and some customers believed the person they encountered was a legitimate bank staff member.

The stolen card is then used for ATM withdrawals or payment fraud.

"Fraudsters are becoming more and more sophisticated, and we have seen an increase in the number of cases of this kind of taxi or courier scam in recent weeks," said AIB's Head of Financial Crime Mary McHale.

"AIB will never ask customers to hand over their bank card or their bank pin to anyone and we urge customers to end any conversation where someone purporting to be from their bank asks them to do so," she said.

Ms McHale said that in some instances "legitimate taxi drivers or couriers" have unwittingly been involved in the scam.

"We are aware of instances where these drivers have refused to accept the bank cards and we thank those drivers for their vigilance," she said.

AIB said that when customers have been scammed, it will deal sympathetically with them on a case-by-case basis.