Cryptocurrency scams

Permanent tsb is warning customers of cryptocurrency investment scams. Customers should be wary of these "get rich quick" scams where victims are lured into making investments via cold calls, pop-up advertisements and cloned websites. Many of these websites look genuine and promise big returns on the investments.

Many of these scams start out with a small investment such as, €250.00. However, this will escalate and pressure will be put on the investor to invest further and more substantial sums of money.

The criminals involved in this activity are very convincing and there will be a sense of urgency and calls to action so as to "not lose out on a great deal".

We urge all consumers to seek professional advice before making any investment decision. Under no circumstances should you provide any third party with access to your online banking.

If you have been effected by one of these scams please contact us as soon as possible on +353 (1) 669 5851. Further information on investment scams and other fraud types can be found on the FraudSMART website.

How to spot fake/fraudulent links

Permanent tsb will never provide website links (URLs) when communicating with our customers. It is also advised that customers keep a record of all permanent tsb websites and links in order to avoid falling victim of phishing sites. Our main websites are as follows (with fake link comparisons):

Permanent tsb will never attach bare links to text messages (such as www.example.com). Instead, we will always hyperlink the text. Please note: The link in the above message reads ".com". All permanent tsb websites use ".ie".

What should you do if you receive suspicious SMS/phone calls?

• Be wary of unsolicited phone calls and voice mails
• Never disclose personal information until you have validated that the caller is a genuine representative of the organisation that claim to represent. If you're unsure, you can use a different phone line to independently check the callers identity. Alternatively, you can search the phone number into a browser such as Google Chrome, which may give you more information on the phone number.
• Fraudsters may already have personal information about you such as: name, address, account details. Do not assume a caller is genuine based on the details they have or because they claim to represent an organisation you deal with.
• Do not click on the link that is in the SMS
• Do not divulge any credit/debit card/account log-on information.
• Do not respond to the message
• Regarding genuine authorisation codes received from permanent tsb via SMS please ensure that you read and fully understand the text message before proceeding
• If you have already clicked the link and/or sent your details, contact us as soon as possible on +353 (1) 669 5851. We will cancel your Open24 number and arrange a new one for you