AIB warns customers about innocent taxi drivers being used to deliver cards in new scam

AIB has warned its customers it will never ask for a bank card back after reports of scammers scamming innocent taxi drivers.

In an email sent to its customers today, the bank said: “This may sound like a strange idea, but it shows how far scammers will go to get their hands on your card.

“We have heard of cases where a scammer pretending to be from AIB calls or texts you to tell you that your card details are already in the wrong hands of criminals and we (AIB) have arranged a taxi to collect your card from you.”

The bank said a “real taxi” would then come, collect the card and “innocently deliver it” into the hands of a “real criminal” who could then access the money in the account.

AIB said while its representatives could call customers about suspicious activity on a card, they would “never ask you for your card.”

The statement added: We will never send a taxi to pick up the card. We will never ask you to click on a link. If you get a call about suspicious activity on your card and the call sounds weird in any way, just hang up. You can also block your card or cancel it online.

“Never give your bank card to anyone else and never give out your PIN number, one-time use codes or online banking details/passwords.”

Earlier this month, the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) warned the public about a scam ring targeting bank accounts and “using third parties to facilitate the scam.”

The GNECB said the scam occurs when scammers send SMS/texts with a link to what appears to be a genuine bank website. The SMS/text appears to be from a bank and the bank’s initials are included in the link to make it appear genuine.

When the victim clicks the link and enters their personal information, the scammer monitors the login and recovers their personal information, login number, and password/code.

Then they call the victim, pretending to be from the bank’s fraud department, and convincing them that their account is compromised and that their bank card is needed by the bank for “forensic testing” or some other reason.

The scammer tells the victim that the bank will send a third party to collect the card. The victim is advised to put the card in an envelope and write the PIN number on the outside. You must then hand it over to the third party upon arrival.

The scammer often calls the victim when the third party arrives to encourage delivery of the envelope. The innocent third party may also have been contacted via an app or other social media to collect the envelope from the victim and drop it off at an agreed location, usually near a bank. You will be met by a person on foot who will take possession of the card.

The card is then used to withdraw cash and transfer funds from the victim’s account. Gardaí said the scam resulted in the theft of “very significant sums of money” from victims’ bank accounts.

The GNECB said the public should: “Never click on links in an unsolicited text message, never give out your PIN number or one-time use codes or online banking details/passwords – your bank will never ask for those details, never act on.” Advice or direction received during an unsolicited call, never download an app on direction of an unsolicited call, never give your bank card to anyone.”