HSE Hack: Staying safe against fraudulent calls

As you may have seen in the news, the HSE have recently experienced cyber attacks. Private information stored on the HSE’s servers was hacked and accessed by third parties.

Reports have emerged that people are receiving scam calls from a Dublin number which are claiming to be from a hospital and detailing the patient’s medical history, date of birth and PPS number. The scam calls then ask for the person’s bank details to issue a refund.

In the event that you are contacted by anyone who is claiming to have access to your personal information and is demanding money, read the following advice:

• If you receive a phone call, hang up and do not engage.  If the person tells you that they are ringing from a hospital service, you can phone your hospital afterwards but do not engage with the caller.
• Do not reply to emails, texts, or social media messages requesting information or bank details from you.
• Contact the Gardai if you have been the victim of a cyberattack.
• Never disclose your private information in a text, call, email or social media request.

For more advice on fraudulent crimes, check out: https://www.garda.ie/en/crime/fraud/