05/11/2019 13:45:00 AM
The police are drawing the public's attention
New ways to deceive their victims online appear to have turned out to be clever, with the police investigating several
cases and ringing the public alarm.
In the recent past, the Cybercrime Bureau has received a number of complaints from citizens allegedly cheating and
losing money in an attempt to rent homes, apartments or other tourist accommodation online.
The complainants allegedly made bookings for accommodation and paid for their bookings online, subsequently finding
that their booking was not valid and that it was fraud.
Fraudsters are alleged to post false ads on websites for rented accommodation in Cyprus and abroad, pretending
to be the owners of these accommodation. Subsequently, when the prospective victims make bookings for the
particular accommodation, the savvy urge prospective tenants to pay the required amount to bank accounts abroad.
As a result, the money is deposited into the bank account of the scammers, while the detention of the victims is not valid.
The Police and the Cybercrime Bureau call on the public to confirm that the ad is genuine and to be very careful
before making any payment online. The public is also urged, as they make bookings through the relevant website
offering the rental and any payments made through the same service and not through personal arrangement with the
owner.
