Cyprus police warn of traffic fine phishing scams after local woman loses 2,000 euros

On September 22, 2026, a 37-year-old woman in Paphos, Cyprus, became the victim of a sophisticated phishing scam. The victim received a fraudulent text message claiming she had an outstanding traffic fine of 60 euros. Upon clicking an embedded link and entering her banking credentials to pay the fake penalty, her account was surreptitiously charged 2,000 euros.

The Paphos Criminal Investigation Department (TAE) is currently investigating the incident as a case of financial fraud. Following this report, the Cyprus Police issued an urgent advisory to the public, reiterating that they never contact citizens via text messages or unofficial digital platforms to request the payment of fines. Authorities urge the public to exercise extreme caution and to refrain from clicking links found in suspicious messages regarding financial transactions.