Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department is aware of scam calls and text messages relating to Government supports, targeting members of the public.

These fraudulent messages claim to be from the Department and are requesting that people apply for supports announced as part of Budget 2024. The recipient of the scam may or may not be in receipt of a social welfare payment.

The focus of the Department's response has been on the provision of information so that people are aware that these messages are fraudulent.

In addition, the Department works with An Garda Síochána and the National Cyber Security Centre in relation to these scams. My Department also retains an industry leading phishing disruption & takedown service which it uses to remove or take-down malicious and phishing websites as quickly as possible.

Where personal information has been shared by a member of the public and the Department is made aware of this, appropriate measures are taken to ensure that fraudulent claims are not made.

The Department continues to remind people to be alert to possible scam phone calls or text messages. We have published a page with guidance for the public: gov.ie/scamalert.

This page includes advice on what to do if you get a strange text or email and it is on our main Department page on the www.gov.ie website, to make easy to find and access. We have also issued warnings on our social media channels, in English and Irish.

This message is also shared across Government, by other Departments.