Cyprus Police warns against SMS phishing scams impersonating state authorities

On October 3, 2026, the Cyprus Police issued an urgent warning to the public regarding an increase in fraudulent SMS messages. These messages are designed to appear as if they were sent by official government agencies, organizations, or other institutions, aiming to deceive recipients into compromising their personal or financial information.

Authorities specifically advise citizens to avoid clicking on any suspicious links provided within these text messages. Furthermore, the police emphasize that users should never input personal credentials or banking details on websites accessed through such messages. To safely interact with public services, the police recommend that individuals navigate directly to the official websites of the relevant agencies by typing the URL manually in their browser, rather than relying on external links delivered via SMS.

This advisory follows a widespread effort to combat digital fraud targeting the residents of Cyprus. The authorities have published alerts across their official communication channels and social media platforms, reiterating that these messages are scams. No specific legal action against individuals or arrests were mentioned, but the police continue to monitor the situation as part of their ongoing public safety initiatives to protect users from evolving phishing threats.