It’s a good time to be extra careful with your personal details.

Gardaí seconded to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) have arrested a second man in connection with a Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) scam in Midleton this morning.

The man (35) is currently detained at Cobh Garda Station under the provisions of Section 50 Criminal Justice Act 2007 where he can be kept for up to seven days.

“To date, seventy-three (73) people have been identified as having had their details fraudulently obtained in order to claim the payment.” said a Garda spokesperson.

“All 73 received an email under the pretence that it was from the Courts Service Ireland looking for them to do Jury duty. This email sought personal information, which included their PPSN, name, address, date of birth and mother’s maiden name.

“These details were then used to apply online and claim the Covid payment of €350 per person, weekly.”

An estimated €187,000 was paid out in relation to the 73 people.

This is the second arrest as part of this investigation, Gardaí also arrested a man in his 40s in December.