Gardaí warn public of Covid vaccine scam

Be careful.

An Garda Síochána, the HSE and The Department of Health have put out a warning advising members of the public to be aware of potential scams relating to the Covid-19 vaccine. In recent days, An Garda Síochána has become aware of members of the public having received fraudulent text messages and calls regarding Covid vaccination. The text messages have made requests for people to confirm private and sensitive information such as PPS number, date of birth and address. Other people have received phone calls requesting they make an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine jab at a random hospital. In most cases, the person receiving the call will say they are not in a position to travel to the hospital. This allows the caller to extract further personal details. Some individuals might confirm that they live alone or reveal their home address. The caller will then offer to come to their residence to administer a vaccine. The HSE will never text or call individuals requesting personal information and they will never request payment for a Covid test or Vaccine. Your local GP will be the first point of contact about vaccination or Covid testing. The Covid-19 vaccine is free and it is not available privately. An Garda Síochána ask that members of the public make contact with any vulnerable friends or family to make them aware of these calls and text messages.