Fake text messages that use the names of SNS 24, the national health service helpline, and Segurança Social (Social Security) are going around in Portugal. Both services have issued warnings in the past few days. If you get an SMS that asks you to pay a “debt” or says your benefit will be suspended, do not click the link and do not pay.
What happened
SNS 24: In a warning on its official Facebook page, reported by Notícias ao Minuto on 24 October 2026, SNS 24 said that SMS messages with fake websites are pretending to be SNS 24 and asking for payments. SNS 24 said it never sends payment requests and that its information and services are free, only on its official channels: the portal, the phone line (808 24 24 24), the app and the Balcões SNS 24 desks.
The example messages shown in the SNS 24 post say you have an “urgent care debt” (pagamento em dívida da urgência) and “5 days to pay”, with a link to a fake site that asks for payment. Earlier SPMS alerts also described versions that send a bank payment reference straight away. SNS 24 says its only website address is sns24.gov.pt.
This is not the first wave. The health ministry’s digital services agency, SPMS, warned about very similar fake “overdue payment” SMS messages in February and March 2026, and said the Ministry of Health does not send messages with bank references for payment.
Segurança Social: On 21 October 2026, Social Security published an official alert about a wave of fake SMS messages about a supposed “suspension of benefits” (suspensão de subsídios), asking people to click a link to “sort out” the situation. It says these messages can appear in the same SMS thread where you normally get real Segurança Social messages, which makes them look genuine. Segurança Social says it never sends links by SMS or email to resolve pending issues, ask for data or send you to outside pages.
What it means for immigrants
Many foreign residents use the SNS 24 line and receive Social Security payments such as child benefit, unemployment or sickness pay. A message that talks about a hospital debt or a stopped benefit is designed to scare you into acting fast, especially if Portuguese is not your first language. The sender name on your phone is not proof: even a message in the same thread as real Segurança Social texts can be fake.
What to do
- Do not click links in these messages and do not reply.
- Do not pay any amount, Multibanco reference or bank transfer sent by SMS.
- Never type personal data, bank card details or passwords on a page opened from an SMS. Delete the message.
- Check benefits yourself only by logging in to Segurança Social Direta or the official Segurança Social app.
- Health questions or doubts: type sns24.gov.pt yourself, call SNS 24 on 808 24 24 24, or contact your own health centre. You can also email the SPMS incident response team at csirt@spms.min-saude.pt.
- If you already paid or typed your details, call your bank at once, ask it to block your card or online banking access if needed, and report it to the PSP, GNR or Polícia Judiciária, as Banco de Portugal advises.
A similar scam uses the Chave Móvel Digital name. Read our warning on fake Chave Móvel Digital SMS messages, and see how to contact Segurança Social through its official WhatsApp line and how to register with the SNS.
Sources
- Segurança Social – Alerta SMS fraudulentas (official, 21 Oct 2026)
- SNS 24 – official Facebook alert on fake SMS asking for payments (24 Oct 2026)
- Notícias ao Minuto – “Tem um pagamento em dívida”? Atenção a estas SMS em nome do SNS 24 (24 Oct 2026), quoting the SNS 24 alert
- SPMS – Alerta para fraude: sites e mensagens falsas em nome do SNS 24 (official, 26 Mar 2026)
- SNS – Alerta para novas SMS que solicitam pagamentos indevidos (official, 20 Feb 2026)
- Banco de Portugal – Esteja atento à fraude online e aja rapidamente (official)
Last updated: 25 October 2026. This article is general information. Link in Portugal is an independent news site and is not linked to SNS 24, SPMS or Segurança Social. If in doubt, contact the official service directly.
