Scams or attempted fraud related to the HSE
Scams and attempted fraud are very common. There is no evidence that any scams have taken place as a result of the cyber attack on the HSE. But we have received a small number of reports about scams from people claiming to be from the HSE.
The HSE will never ask for your bank details by phone or email. Be careful when anyone contacts you saying that they have your PPS number. Contact your local Garda station if you need to report a crime.
Phone calls
Be careful of suspicious phone calls.
Don't
do not talk with the caller, hang up
do not give any personal details
do not give your bank account details or card information
do not call the same number back after hanging up
do not call back a number you don't recognise - a genuine caller will call you back or leave a voicemail
Do
check the number on the HSE website and call them back if you think the call may be genuine
save the phone numbers of people you know
Texts or emails
Be careful of texts or emails that ask for personal details or ask you to click a link. The HSE does send text messages with links in for appointments or additional information.
If you are unsure about a text message or a phone call from the HSE or other health or social care service, call the health service that sent you the text to check if it is genuine, or call HSELive on 1800 700 700.
Don't
do not click on any suspicious links in emails or text messages.
do not share content from untrusted sources on social media or messaging services, such as WhatsApp or Facebook. This can create fear among people. Read about fake health information during the COVID-19 pandemic
Do
if you think you have received a suspicious email or text message, take a screenshot so you have a record of it
report the phone number or email address to the Gardaí
change your online passwords to secure passwords. Keep your passwords private
