Protect yourself with a little help from eir

Phishing & Current Threats

How eir protects you

Tips for Online Security

How eir Protects You

We have a number of security measures in place to keep you safe online. We use secure websites to ensure safe browsing for our customers. Before entering secure information on an eir website, make sure that the website belongs to us.

The eir website addresses are:

Please be extra vigilant of unsolicited text messages, phone calls or emails, and report all suspicions to your local Garda station.

What is Phishing?

Phishing is the attempt to obtain personal and/or financial information by deception and comes in the form of unsolicited emails, phone calls, text messages or through other social media platforms. Fraudsters impersonate legitimate entities such as eir and subsequently request personal and/or financial information. These attempts are usually very believable and if you do give personal information to fraudsters, they can use it for financial gain or identity theft.



Phishing emails

These are fraudulent emails that appear to come from a legitimate source such as a subscription service, your bank, or a utility company. Phishing emails generally contain links to fake websites that have the same look and feel as the source they claim to be from. Fraudsters can then attempt to trick you into divulging sensitive information using a variety of methods including informing you of a supposed refund or an issue with your billing. You are then requested to:

  • Reveal bank account or credit card numbers, account numbers, usernames or passwords.
  • Install malicious software on your computer known as Malware which can extract personal data from your computer or device.

You may have received an email stating there was an issue with a payment on your most recent bill, asking you to click a link to pay the balance or to receive a refund. This link sends you to an unauthorised third party site that closely resembles the eir website but has various different URL addresses at the top of the web page.

You may also have received an email that claims that a bill is ready, that an account needs to be verified, you are due an unexpected refund or that a payment needs to be confirmed. Examples of which are below:





If you are unsure of the validity of the sender, one tip is to hover your mouse over the name of the sender of the email which will reveal the true identity of the sender.

Phishing Text Message (Smishing)

This is phishing sent via text messages. Like emails, they appear to come from legitimate numbers in an attempt to prompt you to supply personal information. eir will NEVER ask for personal or financial information over text.

Here are some examples:

Phishing Phone Calls (Vishing)

Phishing phone calls tend to be unsolicited and will impersonate a legitimate organisation such as eir. The calls can sometimes come from an Irish phone number in an attempt to look more genuine. The calling number can be spoofed, meaning it is not the actual number from which the call is originating.

Some customers have reported receiving fraudulent calls from individuals claiming to be a representative of eir calling in relation to an issue/compromise of their broadband service. The caller may state that in order to fix the issue they need access to your computer/laptop/device. The caller may put pressure on you to provide credit/debit card details in order to repair or upgrade the security of the device. If you have received a phone call such as this and are concerned about your security, contact your bank immediately for information on what do next. eir will never require access to your computer or your credit/debit card details in relation to a fault/repair.

Tips to Spot a Phishing Email

Phishing attempts are becoming increasingly sophisticated and convincing. However, the tips below will hopefully reduce the risk of you falling victim to such attempts. It is important to note that eir may on occasion send you product related or marketing surveys via email. However, we NEVER ask you for login details or personal information in these surveys.

The next time you're not completely sure that an email you received is legitimate, look out for things like:

Confidential questions or requests for personal info

Claims that are too good to be true

Spelling mistakes and other errors

Beware of web links in emails

Threats or requests for urgent action

Emails that are missing specific information

Unknown attachments

Any requests to send money

If you think you've received a phishing email

  • Don't open the email if possible
  • Don't click on any of the links in the email
  • Report the email as spam to your mail provider by clicking on "mark as spam"
  • Don't open any attachments
  • Delete it

Here are some additional tips to improve your security online:

Install Anti-Virus Software

Anti-virus software helps prevent and remove malicious software from your computer. It can also provide protection from phishing emails and spam. Keep your Anti-Virus software up to date to ensure you have the best possible protection.

Browse and download safely

Only install software or applications from secure, trusted websites. This helps to reduce the chances of accidently installing malicious software. Additionally, always make sure you're on secure websites before you enter sensitive information or download anything. Do this by checking your browser bar. A secure website will start with https:// rather than http:// and have a closed padlock icon on the status bar.

Keep your Operating System/Browser updated

Keep your Operating System and Web Browser up to date. Software on your computer includes your Operating System e.g. Windows or Linux and your Web Browser e.g. Internet Explorer or Chrome. By updating your software, you lower the potential risk to you and your computer from online threats.

Create strong passwords

Avoid using personal information or words/numbers that are easy to guess for passwords. Choose different passwords for different accounts and change them regularly. Don't share your passwords with anyone. eir will NEVER ask you to send your password over email. If you have sent your password by email, change the password immediately and check your accounts for any fraudulent activity.
To change your password for My eir log in here. Once logged in, simply select 'Change password’ on the bottom left hand side of the screen.