Woman, 81, loses €33,424 in Limassol scam involving message posing as Gesy
Police said an 81-year-old woman lost €33,424 from two bank accounts after following a text message purportedly from Gesy requesting a €1.50 payment.
Limassol, Cyprus. An online scam involving a text purportedly sent by the national health system, Gesy, cost an 81-year-old woman €33,424, police said on Monday.
Money withdrawn from two accounts
According to the woman’s report, the text requested a payment of €1.50. Once she had followed its instructions, notifications began arriving about attempts to gain access to her online banking accounts.
Police said the scammers then withdrew €33,424 across two accounts: her own and a second account under her management.
Police advise checking payment requests
Police advised people to be cautious about messages containing electronic links and to avoid opening suspicious links or providing personal or banking information on websites they do not recognise.
Before paying online, members of the public should contact the relevant organisation using its official channels to confirm the request, police said.
Anyone who has disclosed banking information in response to a suspicious message should contact their bank without delay to prevent misuse of those details, police added.
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