Gardai have warned the public to be aware of potential 'smishing' and 'vishing' scams relating to the new Covid-19 variant.
The scammers impersonate the HSE and send fraudulent text messages claiming that the person is a close contact.
They then provide a link mimicking the HSE's website, telling the person to "follow instructions to order a testing kit".
Read more: Man arrested in Dublin as part of investigation into romance and phishing frauds
Officers on the Meath Crime Prevention page have issued a warning about the new scam, reminding the public that the HSE will "never text or call individuals requesting personal information and they will never request payment for a Covid-19 antigen test".
Gardai also advised to never disclose private information over the phone or through text messages.
They said that if people receive such a phone call, they should hang up and if anyone mistakenly provides personal information in response to such scams, they should contact their local garda station.
Officers have also appealed to the public to "make contact with any vulnerable friends or family to make them aware of these calls and text messages".
Read more: AIB customers warned about new 'strange' taxi scam that collects your card
Read more: Increase in scam activity expected as banks leave Irish market
Sign up to the Dublin Live Newsletter to get all the latest Dublin news straight to your inbox.
