Tuesday night saw hundreds of Bank of Ireland (BOI) customers flocking to automated teller machines (ATMs) to capitalise on a technical glitch allowing them to withdraw up to €1,000 – even if they did not have that kind of money in their accounts.
“Free” cash flowing from Bank of Ireland ATMs
Photo and video footage on social media showed cars and people lining up outside ATMs in various locations, such as Dublin and Lisduggan, among others, to scoop some “free” cash. Images of police guarding various pay points also did the rounds.
Reportedly, the bank’s online app experienced a glitch that let customers transfer non-existent funds into a Revolut digital account and then withdraw it at an ATM. Many claimed they managed to withdraw between €800 and €1000, while others said they got €500.
However, upon issuing a statement, the Bank of Ireland nipped this short-lived elation in the bud. It took to X (previously known as Twitter) and stated it was aware of the issue and working on it. The bank also said it impacted many services, including its mobile and online banking app, 365Online.
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Any funds withdrawn or transferred over normal, approved limits will be debited from the relevant customer accounts. The Bank of Ireland confirmed that the glitch was resolved and informed customers that the withdrawals and transfers would reflect their original accounts on Wednesday. The bank said:
We urge any customer who may find themselves in financial difficulty due to overdrawing on their account to contact us.
