Fake tax email: Cyprus resident loses over 2.5 thousand euros

The Cyprus Police are investigating a new case of online fraud involving a fake email sent allegedly on behalf of the Tax Department.

According to law enforcement agencies, on May 18, a Nicosia resident received an email from an unknown individual pretending to be a tax official. The message requested the online banking password for 'data verification' purposes.

The victim entered the requested information and subsequently discovered that 2,517 euros had been illegally withdrawn from his bank account. The investigation is being conducted by the Nicosia Economic Crime Department.

The police emphasized that government agencies never request passwords, access codes, or other banking details of citizens via email. In light of this new incident, law enforcement authorities urged residents to exercise extreme caution when dealing with emails and online services.

Citizens are advised not to share personal and banking data through suspicious websites and messages, to verify sender addresses, and to use two-factor authentication to protect their accounts.

The police also advise that at the slightest suspicion, people should contact government services only through official communication channels, and in case banking information is disclosed to scammers, immediately notify the bank and file a report with the police.

According to investigators, such schemes are becoming increasingly common, with perpetrators actively exploiting the names of government institutions to gain access to citizens' bank accounts.