Hoax text messages imploring the recipient to check on the welfare of a person in hospital have been received by some Dunedin residents on their cellphones in the hours before dawn.
Senior Constable Rob Murray said at least three people had reported receiving texts from an overseas number between 4am and 5am last Thursday.
Snr Const Murray confirmed at least one person had contacted the hospital to inquire about the bogus patient, a Mrs Helen Coles, who, the texts said, ''needs help with a project''.
He asked recipients to ignore texts and not to respond.
The texts had been sent from an Indonesian number.
