Police warn of a new SMS scam involving “fines”

In recent days, a new wave of fraudulent SMS messages has been recorded in Cyprus, informing citizens about allegedly unpaid traffic fines. The police warn that this is a phishing scheme aimed at stealing personal and banking data.

The messages contain a link that criminals invite users to follow in order to “pay the fine.” After being redirected to fake websites, users are asked to enter confidential information, including bank card details, which leads to the theft of funds.

Law enforcement authorities urge citizens to remain especially vigilant and not to respond to such messages. The official statement stresses that state bodies do not use such methods to collect fines via SMS with unknown links.

The police recommend not opening links received from suspicious or unknown senders, not entering personal or banking data on unverified websites, and always double-checking information through official communication channels with the competent authorities.

If they receive such messages, citizens are advised to ignore them immediately and, if necessary, contact the police or the relevant government services to verify the information.

Experts note that such fraudulent schemes are becoming increasingly sophisticated and are often disguised as official notifications, which is why users' extra caution remains a key security factor.