Gardaí have issued a stern warning to all those attending the Electric Picnic festival this year. Gardaí are cautioning festival-goers not to share their phone passcodes, especially with anyone claiming to help return lost or stolen mobile phones.

The warning was delivered via a statement on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter). The statement makes it abundantly clear that should you misplace your phone or find it missing, Gardaí will never initiate contact via a marked contact on your device. Instead, the return of the phone will be coordinated solely in person.

Beware of Fraudulent Calls

Festival attendees are advised to remain vigilant. If anyone is contacted with a request to provide their phone’s passcode, under the guise of facilitating its return, they are urged to not comply. Such acts are deceptive and are not part of Garda protocol.

Official Protocol for Returning Lost Items

Gardaí stress that their official procedure for returning lost or stolen phones involves making arrangements only face-to-face. This is to ensure the rightful owner can be properly identified before handing over the device.

For Immediate Assistance

If you do find yourself contacted in such a manner, the advice is to immediately report the incident to the Gardaí, so that they may take appropriate action.

For all those at Electric Picnic, the message from Gardaí is crystal clear: Stay alert, and safeguard your personal information, including your phone passcode.