Limerick Garda warning over PCR scam

GARDAÍ in Limerick have issued a warning over bogus texts and emails asking people to arrange Covid tests after a Murroe woman was conned out of €5,000 by responding to one.

The woman received a text message that appeared to be from the HSE, advising her that she was a close contact of a person with Covid and that she had to register for a PCR test immediately.

The PCR test would have to be paid for and the woman was asked for her bank details. She provided the details and thought nothing more of it until she discovered that almost €5,000 had been taken from her account. 

Limerick Garda Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Ber Leetch said that if you receive a text of this nature, you can be assured that it is a scam.

“The HSE will never ask you to pay for a PCR test and will never ask for your bank details,” she explained.

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