Hellenic Police warn of gov.gr SMS scam targeting traffic fines

The Hellenic Police (ELAS) has issued a warning regarding a new smishing scam targeting citizens via SMS. The fraudulent messages are designed to appear as official communications from the gov.gr digital portal, often using the same sender name as legitimate government services to gain trust.

The scam involves messages claiming there is an outstanding traffic violation or fine that requires immediate payment. These messages contain a link to a fake website that mimics the official gov.gr interface. Once on the site, victims are prompted to enter their vehicle license plate number and sensitive banking details, including card numbers, CVV codes, and e-banking credentials, under the guise of settling the fine.

Authorities emphasize that gov.gr will never send a link via SMS. Citizens are advised to never click on links in such messages and to only access the official gov.gr website directly through their browser for any checks or payments. The scammers often use high-pressure tactics, such as claiming a fine expires the same day, to induce quick, unthinking actions from victims.