Fraudulent Email Alert

A number of Banking organisations and their customers have recently been the target of hoax emails and fraudulent web pages which are aimed at gathering customers internet account details. To date the instances have been small but we would always advise caution before parting with any personal information.

Always keep in mind that Bank of Ireland will never send emails which require customers to send personal information via email or pop-up windows. Any unsolicited requests for Bank of Ireland account information you receive through pop-up windows, emails, or websites should be considered fraudulent and reported immediately to Bank of Ireland 365 Online.

If you receive such an email or are presented with a screen requesting ATM, Credit Card, or Online details then report it immediately to our Online Banking Help Desk on 1890 365 200. Do not reply to it and do not follow the instructions specified, regardless of how genuine the email or website may look. As an additional precaution it is recommended to have the latest Anti-Virus Software installed on your PC.

If you have any queries regarding this topic or are concerned that you may have inadvertently provided your details to a third party please contact our Online Banking Helpdesk at 1890 365 200, Opening Hours 9am to 7pm, Monday to Friday (excluding Bank / Public Holidays) or email us at 365online@boimail.com.

It is important to protect your PC from attack by unauthorised third parties while you are using the internet.

Trojan (virus/worm) is a type of software that can be downloaded onto your PC, without your knowledge. Once there, it can collect information from your computer system and may transmit it elsewhere. Information transmitted may include passwords, account and credit card details, email addresses and other personal information. Your PC can become infected by several methods, including:

·  Opening email attachments, which have originated from unknown sources

·  Accessing unknown/unreliable websites. Often links to these sites are contained within unsolicited emails

·  Downloading and installing software from unreliable websites

·  Installing software from other unreliable sources

Spyware is a specific type of Trojan, which monitors internet browser activity. There are several different types of spyware, however, some are more harmful than others. Some spyware is used for advertising purposes and is relatively innocent. Other, more dangerous types can gather and transmit personal information.

You should protect your PC by using one of the many commercially available internet security software packages. These are readily available in computer stores, on-line for download, or may even be pre-installed on your PC. These packages will usually contain the following components (but you may have to source some of these separately):

·  Anti-virus software protects your PC against viruses, trojans and worms. Ensure that this is regularly updated, e.g. daily/weekly

·  Personal firewall software protects your PC against hackers. Ensure that this is configured and enabled

·  Anti-spyware software protects your PC against spyware. Ensure that this is enabled and scans are run regularly