Trick or cheat? As Irish families head out for Halloween, scammers are busy too, and new research suggests Ireland is one of the countries being singled out. Cybersecurity firm Bitdefender says Irish inboxes have been hit by fake Halloween giveaways, while Gardaí in Limerick have warned of a woman who lost money after a single phone call.
Here is what is doing the rounds this weekend, and how to keep your money safe.
Ireland in the firing line
Bitdefender Labs tracked Halloween-themed scam campaigns between 1 September and 22 October and published its findings on 27 October. In two email campaigns misusing the Costco and Tractor Supply brands, the United States accounted for 73% of targeting. But Ireland came third, with 5%, behind Romania on 9%, and ahead of Germany on 4% and Hungary on 3%. Bitdefender said the Costco lure had notable targeting in Ireland.
The fake Costco email claimed only limited stock of Halloween sets remained and asked people to fill in a shopping feedback survey. The bogus Tractor Supply email promised a free “Ultimate Halloween Decorating Kit”. Neither company is involved. According to Bitdefender, victims may be told they have won a prize and then asked to pay a small delivery or verification fee, while the survey pages can harvest names, addresses, card details or account logins.
Other lures spotted include a fake bol.com €250 gift card offer aimed at the Netherlands and Belgium, Halloween-themed gambling bonuses, and ads for masks and costumes with steep discounts that bounce shoppers through several websites before a checkout.
The ‘spooky deposit’ text and Halloween crypto coins
One English-language text message spotted by researchers claims a “spooky deposit” has landed in your account and urges you to claim it via a link. These messages swap letters for numbers, such as “4ccount”, to slip past spam filters. If a text says money is waiting for you and you were not expecting it, it is almost certainly a scam.
Bitdefender also warned about Halloween-branded cryptocurrency “memecoins” that may be pump-and-dump schemes, where promoters hype a token, get people to buy quickly and then sell their own holdings, leaving late buyers with near-worthless assets. Never connect a crypto wallet, share a recovery phrase or send crypto because of an unsolicited message. (This is not financial advice.)
Garda warning: one phone call, money gone
Closer to home, Gardaí in Limerick issued a warning on 27 October after two incidents reported in the Limerick Post. In Caherconlish, a woman received a call from someone claiming to be from her internet service provider. She handed over her Visa debit card details and security code, and money was then transferred out of her account. In a second case, a woman in her seventies was told her Visa card had been hacked and was asked to download an app and move money through it. She became suspicious when asked for more and avoided a loss.
Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Michelle O’Halloran urged people to be wary of unexpected calls about their bank, card or internet service. Never share your PIN, passwords, one-time codes or card security details, and remember that banks will not ask you to move money to a “safe” account or download an app at a caller’s request. If in doubt, hang up and ring the organisation on a number from its official website or the back of your card.
It comes against a worrying backdrop. AIB said earlier this month that reported payment fraud cases rose 55% between January and September compared with the same period last year, driven by fake texts claiming a transaction is on hold. On 30 October, FraudSMART, the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland awareness campaign, also warned people not to dial *21* phone codes at the request of an unexpected caller.
What happens next
Experts expect scam volumes to climb further as Black Friday and Christmas shopping approach. Bitdefender’s advice is simple: do not click links in messages; open the retailer’s own app or type its web address yourself; check the domain, reviews and refund details; and be suspicious of offers far cheaper than elsewhere. If you think you have been caught, contact your bank immediately (AIB’s 24/7 fraud line is 1800 24 22 27) and report it to your local Garda station.
Sources
- Bitdefender Hot for Security: Halloween Scams 2026: Fake Shops, SMS and Giveaway Lures (27 October 2026)
- Limerick Post: Garda warning after woman scammed in fake call (27 October 2026)
- TheJournal.ie: AIB is warning customers of scam texts doing the rounds claiming a transaction is on hold (9 October 2026)
- FraudSMART: Alerts (Fraud Alert: Do not dial *21* phone codes at the request of an unexpected caller) (30 October 2026)
Featured image: photo by Brett Wharton on Unsplash.
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