Police arrest two suspects in connection with series of SMS phishing scams in Cyprus

Cypriot authorities have arrested two individuals in separate investigations involving SMS phishing scams that targeted residents. A 23-year-old man was arrested in Limassol following a February 2026 complaint from a 64-year-old woman who lost €34,600 after clicking a link in a message disguised as a courier service notification. Meanwhile, Larnaca police arrested a 24-year-old foreign national residing in Nicosia for two fraud cases involving messages appearing to come from "traffic CY" and "CY MEDICAL." In these instances, a 76-year-old lost €3,963 through ATM withdrawals, and a 68-year-old lost €770 after providing credit card details.

The investigations, led by the Cybercrime Subdivision and the Larnaca CID, are ongoing to determine if these incidents are part of a larger organized network. Following the arrest of the 24-year-old, police conducted a search of his residence and seized several pieces of evidence. Reports suggest investigators also identified a second suspect linked to the broader network who was allegedly attempting to purchase luxury goods worth €50,000. Both suspects have been processed for remand hearings at district courts to determine the extent of their involvement in these fraudulent schemes.