The legal framework
The Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 covers deception, false accounting and unlawful use of a computer to make a gain. Reports go to An Garda Síochána, with the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau handling serious cases. The Central Credit Register, run by the Central Bank, holds a record of loans of 500 euro or more and can be checked free of charge.
As a member state of the European Union, this country's offence of illegal access to an information system transposes Directive 2013/40/EU; the punishment of fake profiles, however, remains a matter of national law.
Key points
| Statute | Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 |
|---|---|
| Reporting | Local Garda station; the Economic Crime Bureau for large cases |
| Central Credit Register | Free report from the Central Bank, showing loans in your name |
| Bank liability | Unauthorised transactions must be refunded under payment services rules |
| Data breach | Report to the Data Protection Commission where a company lost your data |
| Documents | Report a lost or stolen passport to the Passport Service immediately |
| Financial Services Ombudsman | Free escalation for disputes with banks |
| Passport cancellation | A stolen passport must be reported to prevent misuse |
| Garda Pulse record | Keep the incident number; institutions ask for it |
In practice
- Tell your bank and freeze the affected cards the same day.
- Report to the Gardaí and get the incident number.
- Request your Central Credit Register report and dispute anything unfamiliar.
- Notify the Passport Service and the NDLS if identity documents were taken.
- Escalate to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman if a bank refuses to refund.
Where to go
- An Garda Síochána, local station.
- Central Credit Register, centralcreditregister.ie.
- Data Protection Commission.
Worth knowing
Irish credit reporting is centralised at the Central Bank, so one free request shows you every regulated loan in your name — a simpler check than in most countries. The Central Credit Register report is free and shows every regulated loan in your name. It is the fastest way to discover borrowing you did not authorise.
Official sources and links
- Citizens Information — official plain-language guide to rights and entitlements
- Irish Statute Book — legislation as enacted