Cash Machine Giving Out Free Money in Ireland

Ireland's cash machine phenomenon is a fascinating story. A cash machine in a Dublin suburb was found to be dispensing free money to users.

In one instance, a customer withdrew €300 without inserting any cash or card. The machine had malfunctioned, causing it to spit out cash.

Free money was dispensed from ATMs in Ireland due to a Bank of Ireland glitch that allowed customers to withdraw thousands of euros even if their accounts were empty.

The glitch was discovered on Tuesday, causing a rush of people to try and take advantage of the situation. Hundreds lined up at a broken ATM machine in Lisduggan to withdraw cash.

Customers were able to withdraw more money than they had available in their accounts, with some withdrawing over $1,000.

The Bank of Ireland app crashed for some users, making it difficult to see what was happening. The glitch was reportedly caused by the online app allowing people to transfer money into a Revolut digital bank account, even if they didn't have enough funds.

People used the free money to buy things they needed, like transportation in Dublin, or to treat themselves to a night out. One person even used the money to pay for a booze cruise down the river.

The Bank of Ireland has said that customers who took advantage of the glitch will have the money charged back to their account.

Despite Microsoft's warnings that Windows XP is no longer supported with security updates, many ATMs are still using the antiquated operating system, making them highly vulnerable to attacks.

A security researcher has demonstrated on video how a hacker can drill a hole into an ATM, connect a cable and infect the money-vending machine with malware to dispense cash at will.

This demonstration by Positive Technologies for BBC Click requires the hacker to take a drill to the machine, pull out a USB cable and physically infect the ATM with malware.

The malware can be used to collect credit card information, and can spread around an entire network of ATMs.

The hack is not the most delicate, but it is practical, according to Leigh-Anne Galloway, a security expert with Positive Technologies.

The video demonstration is a first, but the hacking method isn't. Reports of hackers emptying ATMs with a drilled hole and $15 worth of gear have been circulating since April.

It's not just the ATMs themselves that are vulnerable, but also the networks they're connected to.

The ATM issues in Ireland's Bank of Ireland were quite the headache for customers. A glitch allowed people to withdraw thousands of euros even if their accounts were empty.

ATMs were flooded with chancers trying to take advantage of the hack, causing long queues. Irish TikTok was soon overrun with videos of customers counting out fat wads of €50 notes.

The glitch was reportedly caused by a Bank of Ireland online app issue. This allowed people to transfer up to €1,000 into a Revolut digital bank account, even if they didn't have money in their account.

The sneaky customers who took advantage of the glitch will have that money charged back to their account. Apparently, whoever took advantage of the glitch won't get off so easy.

The Bank of Ireland declined to give an estimate of how much money was withdrawn during the glitch. But it did say that customers who may have overdrafted on their account due to the glitch should contact them.

Some people used the free cash to pay for transportation in Dublin, which is expensive. Others used it to go shopping on Depop or to buy drinks for a night out.