Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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134. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the steps her Department is taking to combat the scam telephone calls and text messages that are being received in relation to her Department’s services. [35417/21]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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156. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the steps her Department is taking to combat the scam telephone calls and text messages that are being received in relation to her Department’s services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35091/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 134 and 156 together.

The Department of Social Protection is aware of fraudulent phone calls and text messages claiming to be from the Department seeking personal information e.g. PPS number / Bank Account details. Other institutions have been the target of similar fraudulent phone calls and texts e.g. Banks, Attorney General’s Office, An Post.

The Department is in regular contact with An Garda Síochána in relation to the scams. Where personal information has been shared by a member of the public and they notify the Department that they have done so, appropriate measures are taken to ensure that fraudulent claims are not made.

The Department is continuing to remind people to be alert to possible scam phone calls or scam text messages they may receive from a person claiming to be a Government official.

This is done via:-

- The Department’s social media channels and includes a video alert from Minister Humphreys.

- All Government Departments have been alerted to the scam and asked to share our social media messages on their social media channels also.

- A notification about such scams is published on the Department’s website.

- Raising staff awareness by placing a notification about such scams on the Department’s internal staff communications site.

- A warning message on the Department’s main phone number that a caller hears immediately on calling the Department.

- A Press Release specifically on these scams & the inclusion of a paragraph about such scams in the weekly PUP press release.

- A public information campaign to raise awareness of fraudulent calls and texts ran from 8 May to 14 May and from 22 May to 28 May. It featured a 60 second radio ad warning about potential scam calls claiming to be from the Department. It was broadcast on RTE Radio, Newstalk, Today FM, and a wide range of regional radio stations.

A notification is currently being finalised for those who do not have English as their first language to alert them to these scams.