Safer Online Shopping

Close to ten million* online transactions are expected to be carried out over the busy Christmas shopping period, with many retailers now starting their sales on Christmas Day, meaning consumers will be shopping online by default if they want to grab an early bargain. Industry data from the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) also showed that fraud losses on Irish consumers’ credit and debit cards amounted €22 million last year.

Online shopping can be a very enjoyable experience but there are critical steps you can take to ensure your safety against Fraud. We have compiled some of our top tips for safer online shopping to help you stay safe when shopping online.

1. Use Legitimate & Secure Sites

Trusted and legitimate sites provide a degree of assurance against fraudulent activity. If you’re unsure about a site simply Google the site before purchase and read any available reviews which could warn of potential fraud.

2. If the deal is too good to be true, it probably is…

“Incredible Deals! An iPhone 11 Pro Max and car for only €20!” Advertisements like this usually tend to leave people out of pocket and a bit embarrassed. It is important to exercise common sense when shopping online to ensure you don’t fall victim to fraud.

3. Don’t provide more details than you need to.

For example, you’ve just purchased a candle online from what you believe to be a trusted website. When completing checkout you notice they want you to provide your mother’s maiden name and the name of your first pet. Questions like these are often used as security questions to verify account details so be careful with the amount of information you share online.

4. Protect your Device and Bank Account

Ensure whatever device you are shopping on has up-to-date security software to help prevent against viruses, Malware, and Spyware programs which can obtain personal information about you. To make online shopping safer we may send you a one-time passcode to complete an online purchase from time to time. To be more secure and avoid delays while shopping online make sure your phone number is up to date, you can check this in the AIB app:

1. Log in to the AIB app

2. Click on Services and select My Details.

3. Here you can view the address and contact numbers we have on file for your account.

More information on shopping securely with an AIB Debit or Credit card online is available here.

5. Don’t feel rushed or panicked to purchase

Many ‘Flash’ sales encourage rushed behaviour from consumers with a countdown clock system. Give yourself time to review and research your purchase to ensure you’re completely happy before making the final steps to purchase.

6. Frequently Check your Accounts for Suspicious Transactions

A healthy financial habit to adopt is frequently checking your online accounts for suspicious activity. Cross-check your purchases with the amounts deducted from your bank account to ensure it matches with your recent online purchases to spot any irregularities. You can do this in your AIB app by simply logging in, selecting account you want to search and pressing the 'Payment Logs' button. You can search up to 13 months of payments in the app and can find out more about our mobile banking features here.

If you suspect any fraudulent activity reach out to us immediately at on Twitter at @AskAIB or on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/AskAIB

*Based on online debit and credit spend for the weeks up to, including and after Christmas 2019 (2^nd – 29^th December).