Nicosia, Cyprus. Police have warned of a new telephone scam using automated calls that falsely claim to be from PayPal, as reports of fraud attempts continue. Authorities said they have received a growing number of complaints from members of the public.
How the scam works
According to reports, recipients hear a recorded message claiming there has been a suspicious transaction or payment linked to their PayPal account. They are instructed to press a number on their phone keypad to approve, cancel or verify the transaction.
Victims who follow the instructions are then directed to links or fake websites resembling legitimate financial platforms. The purpose is to obtain sensitive personal information, including banking credentials, passwords and payment card details.
Police response
Speaking to the Cyprus Mail, a police press office representative said the scam was particularly difficult to investigate because the calls originate from abroad.
“It is not easy to investigate this specific type of crime as it comes from outside Cyprus,” the spokesperson said.
Changing methods
Asked why many scams appear to be emerging within a short period, the representative said fraudsters are constantly adapting their methods rather than introducing entirely new forms of crime.
“The scams simply change form. Today it is PayPal, next week it could be the Gesy, or they may even pretend that the call is coming from the police itself,” the spokesperson said.
Possible links between cases
When asked whether investigators believe the various scams are being carried out by the same criminal network, the representative said authorities do not currently know.
“We cannot say at this stage whether it is the same group behind these cases,” the spokesperson added.