Cyprus resident loses 48,000 euros in healthcare phishing scam

A 60-year-old resident of Paphos, Cyprus, was defrauded of 48,000 euros on April 28 following a phishing attack. The victim received an SMS message posing as the National Health System (GeSY), which requested an account update via an external link. Upon clicking the link and entering his banking details, the attackers gained access to his account and withdrew the funds. While one source states the victim was asked to update his profile, another suggests he believed he was paying a small fee for an account upgrade. The Paphos Criminal Investigation Department is currently investigating the incident, with the Financial Crime Unit leading the case. Authorities and the Health Insurance Organization have clarified that GeSY never requests passwords or financial transactions via SMS. Residents are urged to verify communications through official channels and avoid clicking suspicious links.