The Department of Social Protection has warned against a text scam they have been made aware of, which is targeting those in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
The texts claim to be sent from the Department of Social Welfare or Intreo offices, telling recipients that they are due a Covid-19 pandemic payment and to follow a link to claim it.
The Department of Social Protection made a statement on social media to those receiving Pandemic Unemployment Payment, writing, “The Department is aware that some people have received fraudulent texts stating they are due a Covid19 Pandemic payment, and asks them to click a link.
“These texts are not from the Department. Please do not click the link or reply to the text.”
The Department is aware that some people have received fraudulent texts stating they are due a Covid19 Pandemic payment, and asks them to click a link. These texts are not from the Department. Please do not click the link or reply to the text pic.twitter.com/mwSIN3ejdH
— Department of Social Protection (@welfare_ie) May 11, 2020
The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection issued 589,000 payments to people entitled to emergency unemployment benefit today, coming to a total of €206.3m.
Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty today said that the number of people claiming such payments has dropped for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic came about:
“Today we see a slight drop in the amount of people receiving pandemic unemployment payments as the number leaving the scheme – primarily to go on the temporary Covid-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme – is now greater than the number of new entrants.
“We now have a very clear view of the peak of the challenge we currently face. Hopefully, the direction of travel from here on will continue to be positive.
“As we move through the government’s phased re-opening of society – while observing the recently published guidance for returning to work – we can expect certain sectors of the labour market to gradually re-open and for more people to close their applications for assistance.”
Doherty also gave an update on the wage subsidy scheme, which is being accessed by 53,000 employers in Ireland as of today.
