The police have warned the public not to reply to text messages from what is claimed to be a foreign emergency number.

“It is highly unlikely that any emergency service will contact you about a pressing matter in this way,” the police said.

The police have issued a second statement saying that although mobile subscribers are being told to call a foreign line, people are calling the 112 emergency line, jamming this sensitive emergency service.

People should refrain from calling this number because of this text message as it could mean that people with real emergencies might not be able to get through.