GARDAÍ HAVE ISSUED a warning after a number of Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) customers were called by a person purporting to be from the service.

According to gardaí, the caller has told individuals that they are the subject of a deportation order from authorities in their home country and face being deported that day.

The caller also claims they are working for the INIS on behalf of the Irish government to recoup an administration payment which will prevent the person’s deportation.

Gardaí say the caller requests the payment be made to an account in their country of origin, and that the caller ID number is a real INIS number.

The caller is also reported to direct people to the website address for payment, where the number appears to be legitimate.

“This is an attempted fraud,” a garda statement said.

“INIS does not and will not contact applicants by telephone in relation to any such payments to accounts abroad.

“INIS does not under any circumstances request payment for its services over the telephone.”

Gardaí added that anyone facing deportation will have been involved in a detailed process, and would be notified in writing by registered post in advance of their deportation.

They reminded customers to be vigilant, not to give details of their immigration application status to callers if they did not know who they were, and to contact INIS or gardaí if someone demanded payment of money.