The Central Bank of Ireland has warned that six fraudulent entities have used the Central Bank's logo and name in efforts to defraud consumers.
The unauthorised entities are Assist Finance, Cofino Capital, CFDS Invest, FX Finance Kredit, Roalix Finance and CFDS Finance.
The Central Bank of Ireland said it will never contact you asking for money, your personal data or your PPS number.
"If you are offered something that seems too good to be true, it is most likely a scam," it said in a statement.
The Central Bank said it would advise that everyone should take the 'SAFE' test before making any financial decisions or providing any personal information.
Stop
Stop, think and ask yourself: What is this firm offering? Who is contacting me? Where did they get my contact details? Who are they? Do I feel rushed to provide personal or financial information?
Assess
Make sure the firm is legitimate. Check the Central Bank register to see if the firm is authorised. Even if the firm appears to be authorised, you should still make sure it is genuine. Check for any irregularities such as misspellings and grammatical errors in the firm's website, emails or paperwork. Call the firm using its publicly advertised phone number.
Factcheck
Seek advice from someone you trust to help you make good financial decisions. Be sure that the financial service or product is being provided from a trusted source and is genuine.
Expose and report
If you have any concerns that a firm is not genuine or is not authorised to sell financial products, contact the Central Bank. The Central Bank have the powers to investigate and take action against these fraudsters.
You can make a report to the Central Bank directly on their website or by phoning (01) 224 4000.
The Central Bank has a dedicated unit which investigates alleged unauthorised activity or potential scams carried out by individuals or firms.
"We investigate all instances of alleged unauthorised activity or potential scams in full and we liaise closely with An Garda Síochána," it said in a statement.
