Sinn Féin Councillor Pearse McGeough has warned of the latest scam, one that he fears many people could fall for.

Cllr McGeough said “I received a text message advising me that I was eligible for a discounted electricity bill and I could apply by hitting the link.

The link takes you to a replica of the Government site but as you scroll down there is a ‘verify now’ button which you should NOT press.

“When I went onto the genuine website, there are slight differences but most telling of all, was the absence of the ‘verify now’ button.”

Cllr McGeough warned, “You do not have to apply for the energy payments, they will be automatically credited to your energy bill. All domestic electricity customers will receive €250 paid in 2 instalments, one before the end of the year and one after the New Year.

“You do not have to apply, do not reply to text messages or emails or phone calls. To be safe, assume these are scammers.

“People are hurting at the minute because of the high cost of living and these scam messages seem plausible because we know that measures were announced in the Budget.

“It is heart-breaking to think that these scammers are targeting those in society that need this money the most. They only need a few people to hit that ‘verify now’ button and they have a good payday.”