Authorities in Cyprus issue warnings regarding SMS and telephone scams

Cypriot authorities and the Bank of Cyprus have issued urgent warnings regarding an increase in fraudulent activities targeting citizens. The Cyprus Police reported a surge in phishing SMS messages falsely claiming to represent traffic authorities. These messages allege unpaid speed camera fines and include links to malicious websites, threatening users with surcharges or legal action if they fail to pay or appeal online. Police emphasize that they never send such notifications via text message and advise citizens to delete these messages immediately without clicking any links.

Simultaneously, the Bank of Cyprus has warned customers about ongoing telephone scams where callers impersonate representatives from the bank, PayPal, or other legitimate organizations. Fraudsters claim there is suspicious activity on a victim's account and attempt to solicit sensitive information, including 1Bank passwords, OTP codes, card details, or requests to install remote access software. Victims are often pressured to transfer funds to a "secure account." The Bank of Cyprus reiterates that they will never ask for such details over the phone. Anyone who has disclosed information or authorized a transaction is urged to contact the bank immediately through official customer support channels.