A 53-year-old man from Nicosia has fallen victim to an online fraud scheme after scammers allegedly stole €65,415 from his bank account by promising to help him cash out profits from earlier cryptocurrency investments.
According to Cyprus Police, the victim reported the incident to the Nicosia CID on Thursday, with the case now under investigation by the division's Economic Crime Investigation Unit.
How the scam unfolded
The victim told investigators that on 26 August he received a telephone call from an unknown individual who spoke Greek and claimed he could help him access profits from previous cryptocurrency investments.
The caller then referred him to a second person, presented as a supervisor, who instructed the victim to install a specific application on both his computer and mobile phone.
The 53-year-old followed the instructions and, in doing so, allegedly granted the suspects access to his online banking account.
Police said the fraudsters subsequently carried out a series of transactions, removing a total of €65,415 from the account.
Police warning
Following the complaint, police urged the public to exercise extreme caution when dealing with unsolicited calls relating to investments or banking matters.
Authorities advised members of the public:
- Not to grant third parties access to electronic devices.
- Not to share online banking credentials or account information.
- To safeguard personal and financial data.
- To conduct investments only through recognised companies and licensed financial advisers.
The investigation is continuing.
