Up to 10 fraudulent Eflow websites are being set up in a day to try to scam unsuspecting Irish consumers, Bank of Ireland has said, as a wave of fake text messages continues to hit customers.
The bank has urged consumers to stop and think before replying to any text message seeking payment or personal information, and check if they are genuine before proceeding. More irish brands are expected to be impersonated by fraudsters using the same methods in the coming months.
The scam, known as “smishing”, sends a fake message to mobile phone users claiming to be from motorway toll operator Eflow. It urges them to pay an outstanding fine, or update their details online. However, the links contained in the messages direct users to fake websites that are trying to gather personal card information and online banking details.
The current wave of messages has been in evidence since February and is showing no sign of abating.
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“Smishing attacks tend to come in waves, and previously we have seen fraudulent messages appearing to be from delivery services, utility companies, Government agencies or banks. But this latest attack, with fraudsters sending messages purporting to come from Eflow, has lasted now for several months, which is unusual,” said Nicola Sadlier, head of fraud with Bank of Ireland. “Based on intelligence we have received, we are also expecting fraudsters to ramp up activity cloning other well-known Irish brands in the coming months, particularly electricity and gas companies.”
The scam is more likely to be successful if people have recently passed through the tolls. However, Eflow does not send text messages with links to confirm account or payment details.
“Text messages purporting to be from any company should be treated with extreme caution – the general rule is to stop, think and check,” said Ms Sadlier.
