FraudSMART and Google launch major new campaign to warn consumers about social engineering tactics
Social engineering is a scam tactic where criminals trick people into revealing personal or financial information by pretending to be someone they trust—like a bank, delivery company, or even a government agency. Scammers use messages, emails, or phone calls to create a sense of urgency or fear, pressuring victims into acting quickly before they have time to think. By staying alert and verifying unexpected requests, you can protect yourself from these manipulative scams.
FraudSMART has revealed new research highlighting the increasing frequency of scam attempts targeting Irish consumers. The findings show that more than three-quarters (78%) of Irish adults are being targeted by scam text messages, emails, phone calls, or online content at least once a month.
The research forms part of FraudSMART’s awareness campaign, See the Scam Behind the Screen, supported by Google. The campaign aims to educate the public on the dangers of social engineering – where criminals manipulate victims into divulging confidential information or transferring money.
“Online scams can impact anyone and scammers will try to target people through multiple methods, online and offline. Google has a long history of developing tools and techniques to combat scams and scammers, such as blocking 99.9% of spam and malware on Gmail. Alongside these efforts, public education plays a crucial role in empowering people to protect themselves from scams. Google is proud to support this campaign as part of our ongoing collaboration across industry sectors.”
Commenting on the research, Niamh Davenport, Head of Financial Crime, BPFI, warned that consumers are facing a growing barrage of scam communications and has appealed to all consumers to familiarise themselves with the simple steps they can take to protect themselves from falling victim to such scams:
“One of the key drivers behind scams is social engineering, where fraudsters use psychological tactics to deceive people into providing financial or personal information. Scams come in many forms - phishing emails, fake offers, or impersonation calls from fraudsters posing as legitimate organisations like banks, delivery companies, or government departments. Fraudsters play on human emotions such as trust, fear, or urgency to trick victims into taking action.”
To help combat these scams, FraudSMART is encouraging consumers to take five key steps:
If you think you have fallen victim to a scam, contact your bank immediately using the number on the back of your card, or the contact details provided on your bank website. Reporting suspicious activity helps prevent further fraud and protects others from falling victim.
For more information and practical advice on how to protect yourself from different types of scams,
visit our Fraud & Scams page.