Paphos man loses 48,000 euros in Gesy phishing scam

On April 28, 2026, a 60-year-old man in Paphos filed a complaint with the local Criminal Investigation Department (CID) regarding an online fraud. The victim received a text message disguised as an official communication from the National Health Scheme, Gesy, claiming that his profile required an urgent upgrade. The message directed him to a fraudulent website where he was prompted to enter his personal information and banking details to pay an alleged processing fee. After submitting these credentials, unauthorized individuals successfully withdrew 48,000 euros from his bank account. The Paphos financial crimes unit is currently investigating the case. Authorities emphasize that the Health Insurance Organization never requests passwords, login credentials, or payments via SMS. The public is urged to avoid clicking links in suspicious messages and to verify any such notifications through official communication channels.