Limassol pensioner loses over €30,000 in online scam

An 81-year-old woman in Limassol lost €33,424 in an online scam after receiving a text message appearing to come from the national health system (Gesy), police said on Monday. The woman reported that the message asked her to pay €1.50. After following the instructions, she began receiving notifications about attempts to access her online banking accounts. The perpetrators subsequently withdrew a total of €33,424 from two bank accounts, one belonging to the woman and another that she manages. Police urged the public to exercise caution when receiving messages containing electronic links. Citizens should avoid clicking on suspicious links or entering personal and banking details on unfamiliar websites. Before making online payments, people should verify requests by contacting the organisation concerned through its official communication channels. Anyone who has already shared banking details through a suspicious message should immediately contact their bank to prevent the information from being misused.