European Fraud Protection Group

Ireland

Central Bank of Ireland (CBI)

https://www.centralbank.ie

The Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) is Ireland's central bank and financial services regulator, responsible for authorising and supervising financial service providers operating in or from Ireland. Ireland's role as a European financial services hub (particularly for funds, fintech, and payment services) means that Irish-authorised entities are involved in a significant volume of cross-border financial services, and Irish bank accounts and payment processors may feature in fraud cases.

How to File a Complaint

1

The Central Bank of Ireland accepts reports about unauthorised firms and suspicious financial services through its online enquiry form at centralbank.ie.

2

Reports can be submitted in English or Irish.

3

Provide comprehensive details about the entity, including any CBI registration number claimed, website URL, and all supporting evidence.

4

For complaints about authorised financial firms, the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO) provides an independent dispute resolution service.

5

The CBI publishes regular warnings about unauthorised firms and clone firms on its website.

Register & Verification

The Central Bank of Ireland maintains a publicly accessible register of authorised and registered entities at registers.centralbank.ie. The register covers banks, investment firms, payment institutions, and insurance companies.

Key Regulations

  • Markets in Financial Instruments Regulations 2017 -- Irish implementation of MiFID II.
  • European Union (Payment Services) Regulations 2018 -- implementing PSD2.
  • Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Acts -- implementing AMLD.
  • Consumer Protection Code -- CBI's comprehensive consumer protection framework.

Typical Timelines

The CBI acknowledges reports and may request additional information. The FSPO aims to resolve complaints within 12 months. The CBI can issue warnings about unauthorised firms relatively promptly and has enforcement powers including fines and authorisation revocation.

Warning List

https://www.centralbank.ie/regulation/how-we-regulate/authorisation/unauthorised-firms

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