Fine Gael Local Election Candidate for Dundrum, Eoin O’Driscoll has urged people to be aware of scam text messages circulating, particularly in the run-up to Christmas. “Over the past week alone, I’ve received a number of scam messages,” O’Driscoll said. “They range from the An Post ‘your package won’t be delivered unless you pay a fee’ text and the ‘claim your electricity credit’ text, all of which are scam artists trying to catch vulnerable people out,” he explained. “While all of these tricks have been reasonably well reported, I am urging people to speak to those around them, especially the elderly and more vulnerable, to explain to them that they should never click into the links. Have that conversation with people around you to remind people to always be wary of a number that they are not familiar with.”
Comreg has some very useful tips such as:
· Be cautious of unsolicited text messages from unknown senders
· Do not click on a link or reply to a message
· Don’t share personal information. Legitimate texts never ask you for personal or financial information
· DO NOT RESPOND
· Be familiar with how businesses and services you engage with will contact you – visit their website to find out or ask them how they are likely to contact you
· Verify sender details by visiting the company’s official website or in the case of your bank, ring the number on the back of your bank card. NEVER use contact details in the text.
“Coming up to Christmas, most people are working within budgets. With the cost of living still high, I would not like to see anyone getting caught out with these text scams. There are very clever organisations behind these scams and many of the numbers look like they are Irish numbers. Some of the links to the banks also look very real, so that’s why reminders are very important. If you feel you have been a victim of fraud, always contact your local Garda station, who are there to help,” O’Driscoll added.”
Cllr. Eoin O'Driscoll 