Security Centre

Top tips to protect yourself:

1. Don’t get caught out buying online – we all love a bargain but be vigilant when buying from social media and online marketplaces.  Always do your research on the seller and if a deal seems too good to be true it probably is and could be a scam.  Check the contact details on the website, if there is no address given or phone number this is an indication that the site may not be genuine.

2. Use secure websites – Make sure the web address in your browser begins with 'https://'.  The 's' at the end indicates a secure connection.  Keep an eye out for spelling errors or strange characters in the web address - this can sometimes mean a fake site.  However, remember a secure page does not mean the retailer is reputable.

3. Always use a safe way to pay – Pay with your debit or credit card – it’s a safer way to pay and gives you more protection.  If a seller tells you they can’t accept a card payment and asks you to send them money directly don’t do it, it could be a scam.  Fraudsters often concoct stories to try to persuade you to transfer your money to a bank account instead of paying by another method – be suspicious of anyone asking you to do this.

4. Don’t give anyone your full details – Scammers are really convincing.  If anyone, even someone claiming to be from the bank, Police or another organisation you trust gets in touch and asks for information such as login details, passcodes, card reader codes, remote access to your device or tells you to transfer money from your account – don’t do it, it’s a scam.

5. Don’t open unexpected emails from anyone you don’t know – Fake emails and texts are doing the rounds - Be careful of out of the blue or suspicious emails, texts or phone calls that appear to be from a genuine organisation or company.  Fraudsters use these fake emails as a way to steal your personal information.  If in any doubt, don't click on any links or download files.

6. Get in touch with us if you’re ever unsure something is genuine – Call us using the number from the back of your card or from our website.

We’ve seen an increase in criminals exploiting the coronavirus and using this as part of their scam tactics.

Don’t fall victim by looking out for the following:

Impersonation scams and emails offering health updates or cures

Scammers are sending out emails that look like they come from trusted organisations, like the World Health Organisation (WHO).  An attachment in the email claims to provide safety measures to combat coronavirus but opening it actually infects your device with malware that monitors your online activity and captures your information.

Claims you are due to receive a tax refund

Criminals are bombarding mailboxes with emails saying you’re entitled to a tax refund due to coronavirus – but it’s a trick. You’ll receive an email saying you’re entitled to a tax refund due to Coronavirus. The link will take you to a fake government website that will capture your financial information. Remember, the Office of the Revenue Commissioners won’t contact you by email about tax refunds and you can report emails like this to webmaster@revenue.ie.

Purchase scams

Watch out for emails, ads, posts, texts or phone calls advertising anything to do with coronavirus – whether it’s for facemasks, vaccines or access to testing kits – any deals that look too good to be true usually are.  These approaches are very likely to be a scammer trying to get their hands on your money or personal details – make sure you don’t give them what they want.

Offers to make quick money 

There has been a huge increase in criminals trying to lure people into becoming money mules through ‘get rich quick’ job offers during these uncertain times. If a job ad looks too good to be true – it probably is and the personal consequences of allowing criminals to pay money through your account can be life-changing.  Reject any offers of cash to let someone else use your bank account, it’s simply not worth it!

Always remember:

Stay alert to suspicious phone calls, texts or emails from anyone claiming to be from the bank or other trusted organisations. We’ll never ask you to share your full PIN, password, card reader code, one time passcode or to move money from your account.

Never download attachments, software or let anyone remotely log into your computer following a call or email you’ve received out of the blue

If you are ever asked to do any of these things, refuse and contact us immediately using the number on the back of your card or a number you trust. If possible, call us back from a different phone or mobile.

We’re committed to helping you stay safe and secure online and are continuously investing in new fraud prevention tools and the latest security technology to keep you protected online.

That’s why we’re offering Malwarebytes Premium to our customers free of charge (it’s worth €57.92) until at least May 2024. Malwarebytes Premium is an anti-virus security software solution  that protects your PC tablet and phone from malicious software.  It’s available for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Chrome OS devices and you can protect up to 10 of your devices.

Protect your online and mobile devices for free with the latest software.

Find out more

If you have been a victim of a recent data breach, following these simple tips will help you stay safe and secure.

Fraudsters often contact you pretending to be from the Bank, the Garda or companies your trust to convince you to divulge information or pay money out of your account and they can use sophisticated technology to make the number appear like it's a genuine number, not their actual caller ID

Never give out your Mobile banking App Activation codes and Passcode

Never give your full Anytime Banking PIN, full Anytime Banking password or Card Reader codes to anyone over the phone, even a caller claiming to be from your bank or the Garda

Never move your money to a 'safe/secure' account if asked to do so by someone saying they are from the bank or the Garda

If you receive a request to download software to connect to your computer, and you have not initiated the conversation with the company, decline to do so

If you receive a suspicious or unexpected call, always verify the caller using an independently checked phone number such as a contact number from our website. 

If you are asked to do any of the above then end the call immediately

A common strategy fraudsters may use is to pose to be a known company that you may use and advise that you have overpaid a payment in the past and that you are owed a refund. The fraudsters would then try to get you to use your card reader to be able to process the refund.

More about vishing 

Fraudsters create fake social media accounts offering to 'help' by asking for your account information or directing you to fake websites. These fake social media accounts often have similar imaging, blurbs or tweets to our real accounts.

Follow these simple steps to stay safe on social media.

What you need to do:

1. On Twitter, look for the blue tick next to @UlsterBank_Help.
2. Never click on links or attachments in suspicious messages
3. Never give your full PIN or full password to anyone
4. Report any suspicious activity to phishing@ulsterbank.com

Fraudsters send spoof text messages and emails to try and get your personal information. These messages may well have been doctored so that they appear to come from a genuine Bank number or email ID. They usually contain links which lead to websites asking you to enter your Anytime Banking login information or other personal information.

We recommend you follow these simple steps to help stay secure:

Never give your full Anytime Banking PIN, full password or card reader codes to anyone

Never respond to suspicious emails or text messages

Be cautious when clicking links, Our text messages may contain links to our websites, but, like our emails, never link to pages that ask for any online banking or full card details.

If you’re in doubt about the authenticity of a message from us, please contact us immediately

More about smishing

Phishing (pronounced 'fishing') is a con trick used by fraudsters to get hold of your personal information.

Internet users are sometimes targeted through bogus emails by fraudsters claiming to be from their bank. These emails, known as "phishing" emails, will typically encourage you to enter their security details on a fake website. The fraudsters would then try to use the captured security details to commit fraud.

Ulster Bank will never send emails asking for your security information. Our emails will always contain one piece of personally identifiable information, like a partial postcode or name so that you can identify it's genuine. They may contain links to our websites, but they’ll never contain links that take you to a page that asks for any online banking details, like your customer number, password or card reader codes.

If you do receive a suspicious email you can report it to us forwarding it to phishing@ulsterbank.com

More about Phishing