Financial abuse and control

When someone manipulates or limits another person’s access to financial resources to exert power over them

Protecting your financial independence

  • Are you experiencing controlling, coercive, or threatening behavior from a partner or family member?
  • Are you being prevented from managing your own finances, attending work, or having your own money?
  • Are you being forced to sell your home or assets without your consent?
  • Is someone pressuring you to make changes to a will, property, or inheritance?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, we’re here to help.

How We Can Help

Financial abuse is a serious issue where someone controls your ability to earn, spend, or save money, often keeping you in an abusive relationship. With the support of An Garda Síochána, our specially trained team can provide sensitive and confidential assistance to help you regain control of your finances. We’re committed to helping you in the way that best suits your needs.

Before you contact our team, here are some practical steps you can take to protect your finances:

  • Be cautious about giving your card to someone else; it’s only for you
  • Change your PIN at a Bank of Ireland cash machine
  • Update your login details for online and mobile banking
  • Opt in for online statements to prevent paper statements from arriving at home
  • Use card controls on the mobile app to temporarily freeze your card if it’s no longer in your possession
  • Remove an additional cardholder from your credit card if they are controlling your finances without your consent
  • Revoke third-party access from your account if transactions are being made without your consent
  • Grant third-party access to a trusted person who can help now or in the future by creating a general power of attorney or an ADMA agreement.

How to get support

**Get in touch with An Garda Siochana if you are in immediate harm – If you or someone you care for is in a position of harm due to ongoing abuse then please call An Garda Siochana immediately.**

1. Contact Us

  • For Customers and family members who want to discuss safeguards and tips to stop the abuse: please call into a branch or phone our contact centre on 1800 946 146 and select option 1
  • If you need us to phone you back at a specific time or on a particular number, please just let us know.

2. The person you contact will take your details and let our Customer Care team know:

  • We will treat everything you tell us in a confidential and sensitive manner while we carry out a full investigation into the case
  • If we feel that the report could potentially lead to harm or a threat to life for the customer or someone else, we will immediately contact either An Garda Siochana, HSE safeguarding or both

3. We will help protect your finances, while we look into what is happening:

  • We will review the case in full, looking at all the information available.
  • We may take preventative action to keep your finances safe
  • We may refer your case to An Garda Siochana, HSE Safeguarding or both, to investigate things further
  • But we will try to contact you before we do this to make sure this will not put you in a difficult position and, if it does, we’ll try a different approach


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Forced Labour & Human Trafficking

If you or a person you care for is being exploited for personal or commercial gain.
For example, if you are a victim of forced labour or human trafficking, or you spot a suspected case, you can contact An Garda Siochana on 999/112. Additionally, you can contact the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland at +353 (01) 889 7570, or email info@mrci.ie.

Bank of Ireland takes no responsibility for the accuracy of information from third party websites