Frauds & Scams – How to Protect Yourself
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Frauds & Scams –
How to Protect Yourself
At Ask Acorn your financial security is extremely important to us. Fraudsters are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and scams can affect anyone. This page explains how you can protect yourself, what to look out for, and what to do if you are concerned about suspicious activity. This page will be updated to communicate where we learn about frauds and scams that are relevant to the insurance industry and our Company.
This page is provided as Guidance only, seek legal advice where required.
1. Common Types of Scams
Fraudsters use many different methods to try to obtain your personal information or money. Some common examples include:
Impersonation Scams
Fraudsters may pretend to be from a legitimate organisation — including insurers, banks, or the Gardaí — to convince you to share personal or financial information.
Unsolicited Calls, Texts, or Emails
Scammers may contact you unexpectedly asking you to:
- click a link
- provide policy numbers or bank details
- confirm your identity
- make a payment
We will never ask you to share sensitive personal information through an unsolicited email, text, or link.
Fake Investment or Insurance Products
You may be offered insurance, savings, or investment products that promise unusually high or guaranteed returns. These products may be fraudulent or misrepresented.
Account Takeover Attempts
Fraudsters may try to access your online accounts by guessing passwords or using information gathered elsewhere.
2. How We Help Protect You
We use multiple layers of security to safeguard your information, including:
- Secure customer authentication processes
- Monitoring for suspicious activity
- Encryption of your personal data
- Staff trained to identify and prevent fraudulent behaviour
- Strong verification steps before discussing your policy with you
If we ever need to contact you about your policy, we will clearly identify ourselves and will not pressure you to take immediate action.
3. How You Can Protect Yourself
Here are some simple steps to reduce your risk:
Be cautious with unsolicited contact
If someone contacts you unexpectedly and asks for personal information or payment, stop and verify the source using contact details from our official website — not the details provided in the message.
Check email and website addresses
Fraudsters often use addresses that look similar to real ones. Always ensure you are on our official website before entering any information.
Never share security codes or passwords
We will never ask you to share one-time passcodes, online login details, or full bank card information.
Verify investment opportunities
If something sounds too good to be true — it probably is. Contact us if you are unsure whether a product or communication is genuine.
Keep devices secure
Update your phone and computer regularly and install trusted antivirus or security software.
4. What To Do If You Suspect Fraud
If you believe you may have been targeted by a scam or notice suspicious activity relating to your policy:
- Contact us immediately using the details below
- Do not respond to the suspicious message or click any links.
- Report the incident to:
- Garda National Economic Crime Bureau, and/or
- Your bank, if you have shared financial details.
We will assist you in reviewing your policy, securing your information, and guiding you through the next steps.
Write to us
Ask Acorn
St Augustine Street
Galway H91 PN80
5. . Protecting Consumers in Vulnerable Circumstances
We understand that some customers may be more at risk of fraud or undue influence. If you or someone you care for needs additional support, please let us know — we will take extra steps to safeguard the customer’s information and provide communications in a clear and accessible way.
6. Staying Up to Date
New scams emerge regularly. We may update this page from time to time to provide the latest information and guidance. You can also find useful information on:
