Gardaí have issued a public warning about a highly convincing scam in which criminals are posing as members of An Garda Síochána in an attempt to steal sensitive personal and financial information.
The alert follows reports that fraudsters have been contacting members of the public via WhatsApp, using the official Garda crest as their profile picture to appear legitimate. During these calls, the scammers attempt to persuade victims to hand over bank account details and other private information.
In a statement released on social media this week, Gardaí stressed that genuine members of the force would never make unsolicited phone calls to members of the public seeking financial details. They emphasised that any such contact should immediately raise suspicion.
According to Gardaí, the scam relies on the authority and trust associated with the Garda name and insignia. By using the official crest and claiming to be officers, the fraudsters hope to intimidate or pressure people into complying with their requests before they have time to question the call’s authenticity.
A Garda spokesperson said the force had become aware of several incidents involving WhatsApp calls where the caller’s profile photo displayed the An Garda Síochána crest. The spokesperson reiterated that Gardaí do not contact people “out of the blue” by phone to request bank account information or other sensitive personal details.
“An Garda Síochána Gardaí will never contact you unexpectedly over the phone and ask for your bank account details,” the spokesperson said. “If you believe you may have engaged with such a scam, you should contact your local Garda station as soon as possible.”
Members of the public are also being encouraged to remain vigilant and to independently verify any unexpected contact that claims to be from a trusted authority. Gardaí advise people not to share personal information, not to click on suspicious links, and not to engage further if they have doubts about a caller’s identity.
This latest warning comes amid a rise in increasingly sophisticated scams, many of which use familiar branding, logos, and official-sounding language to deceive victims. Gardaí continue to urge the public to report suspected scams, even if no financial loss has occurred, as this helps authorities track patterns and warn others.
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Ways to avoid banking scams:
When a Revolut customer receives a call claiming to be from the bank, the Revolut app displays a banner confirming whether the call is genuine. If the banner confirms that Revolut is speaking to you, the call is legitimate. If no confirmation appears, customers are advised to hang up immediately.
By tapping the banner, users are guided through the next steps to secure their account, report the scam, and help protect other customers.
However, not all Irish consumers use Revolut. Customers with AIB, Bank of Ireland, Permanent TSB, or other traditional banks should continue to follow universal scam-prevention advice.
AIB promotes a simple system that works for all banks and all types of scams, known as SAFE:
S – Stop: Pause before acting and ask yourself who is contacting you and why, especially if you feel rushed or pressured.
A – Assess: Consider whether the contact is genuine. Banks will never pressure you to act immediately.
F – Fact-check: Verify the information independently. Banks will never ask for your full login details or tell you not to access your account for several days.
E – Expose: Contact your bank directly using official contact details for advice or to report a suspected scam.
AIB also operates a 24/7 fraud helpline on 1800 24 22 27, offering immediate support to customers who think they may be dealing with a scam.
