Woman in Paphos loses 4,800 euros in phishing scam

A 26-year-old woman in Paphos, Cyprus, reported a significant financial loss after falling victim to a phishing scam on August 10, 2026. The victim received a fraudulent text message appearing to be from the official GOVCY platform, which falsely claimed that she had an outstanding fine that required immediate payment.

The message contained a malicious link directing the woman to a website where she was prompted to enter her banking credentials. After providing her card details, the perpetrators gained unauthorized access to her account and withdrew more than 4,800 euros. Upon realizing the deception, the woman reported the incident to the Paphos Criminal Investigation Department (TAE).

Authorities have clarified that the message was a complete forgery and has no connection to the Cyprus Police or any government entity. The Paphos Police have initiated an investigation into the matter and are currently working to identify the suspects. In response to the incident, law enforcement officials have issued a public warning, urging citizens to be extremely cautious regarding suspicious digital communications and to verify the authenticity of messages claiming to involve fines or official government business.