Woman in Nicosia defrauded of 1,219 euros via SMS phishing scheme

A 45-year-old woman in Nicosia filed a report with the Nicosia CID on October 28, 2026, after falling victim to an SMS phishing scam. On October 27, she received a text message regarding a non-existent outstanding traffic fine of 6.59 euros. The victim followed a provided link to a fraudulent website featuring the official logo of the Republic of Cyprus.

After entering her vehicle registration details, personal information, credit card credentials, and a one-time password (OTP) to process the payment, she discovered that 1,219 euros had been unauthorizedly withdrawn from her bank account. The incident is currently being investigated by the Economic Crime Investigation Unit of the Nicosia CID.

In response to the growing wave of these scams, the Cyprus Police have issued a formal warning to the public. Authorities categorically state that they never communicate with citizens via text messages regarding the collection of traffic fines. The public is urged not to click on suspicious links and to avoid sharing sensitive personal or banking data online.