The police have issued a warning over a new telephone scam that appears to be targeting the public through automated calls falsely claiming to be from PayPal, as reports of fraud attempts continue. 

Authorities say they have received a growing number of complaints from members of the public who were contacted by callers using recorded messages designed to create a sense of urgency and pressure victims into taking immediate action.

According to reports, recipients hear an automated message informing them of a supposed suspicious transaction or payment linked to their PayPal account. They are then instructed to press a number on their phone keypad in order to approve, cancel or verify the transaction.

Victims who follow the instructions are subsequently directed to links or fake websites which closely resemble legitimate financial platforms. The aim is to obtain sensitive personal information, including banking credentials, passwords and payment card details.

Speaking to the Cyprus Mail, a police press office representative said the scam was particularly difficult to investigate because the calls originate from abroad.

“It is not easy to investigate this specific type of crime as it comes from outside Cyprus,” the spokesperson said.

Asked why so many scams appear to be emerging within a short period of time, the representative said fraudsters are constantly adapting their methods rather than introducing entirely new forms of crime.

“The scams simply change form. Today it is PayPal, next week it could be the Gesy, or they may even pretend that the call is coming from the police itself,” the spokesperson said.

When asked whether investigators believe the various scams are being carried out by the same criminal network, the representative said authorities do not currently know.

“We cannot say at this stage whether it is the same group behind these cases,” the spokesperson added.

The police’s cybercrime unit is handling investigations and monitoring reports linked to the latest scam campaign.

Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant and stressed that legitimate organisations, including banks and payment providers, do not request passwords, banking details or security codes through unsolicited phone calls, text messages or links.

The police advise anyone receiving such calls to hang up immediately, avoid pressing any numbers, refrain from opening links sent by unknown parties and contact their bank directly if they believe they may have disclosed sensitive information.

Members of the public are also encouraged to report suspected scam attempts, with authorities warning that fraudsters increasingly exploit the names of trusted organisations in an effort to deceive potential victims.