Major rise in purchase scams as bank issues consumer warning

Ottoline Spearman

Purchase scams rose by 47 per cent in the first half of 2025, according to the Bank of Ireland.

The value of losses associated with these scam cases rose by 16 per cent, as compared with the second half of 2024, with consumers defrauded on items including cosmetics, electronics, garden tools and concert tickets.

Ahead of the busiest retail weeks of the year, including Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the Christmas shopping period, the Bank of Ireland is advising consumers to remain vigilant of purchase scams.

Online purchases tend to rise in the second half of the year, Bank of Ireland card spending analysis shows. Money spent was higher on cosmetics (+34 per cent), and electrical goods (+39 per cent) between July and December 2024, when compared to the first six months of 2025.

The online clothes shopping spending was also 22 per cent higher, as demand for the latest fashions increases as the year draws to a close.

Nicola Sadlier, Head of Fraud, Bank of Ireland said: "It’s only natural that consumers will be on the lookout to snap up the latest bargains over the coming weeks, but our advice continues to be that if it looks too good to be true, then it probably is.

Fraudsters take advantage of the increased online retail traffic, targeting key categories, including electronics, beauty products and clothing, the Bank of Ireland said.

They are highly skilled at creating fake websites that appear genuine, displaying the latest “styles” at “keen” prices to lure people into purchasing top-end clothing at seemingly giveaway rates.

Once the payment is transferred, the scam is complete and the seller usually cuts all contact, and the product doesn’t arrive.

Bank of Ireland’s advice to customers when making a purchase during the busy retail period is:

• Before paying in full, ensure you have enough information about the item, and where possible, view it in person.
• Beware of pop-up ads on your social media feed or ads on online marketplaces (fraudsters can pay to have their ads appear there).
• Go directly to the online shopping site by typing the web address into your web browser.
• Links in unsolicited emails or on social media are not always safe and should be avoided.
• Research and read trusted reviews to check the site and the seller are genuine.
• Try and pay by debit or credit card, as this could give you additional protection such as chargeback claims.