The Ministry of Digital Governance has cautioned citizens to be alert of online fraudsters after it reported a rise in the practice of “phishing”, deceptive messages being sent out to unsuspecting individuals to trick them into using their details to log into the official public services platform Gov.gr.
The scammers send fraudulent emails pretending to be from the official digital public services of the Greek state (gov.gr) trying to persuade people to log into their accounts to access a fake notification sent by authorities.
The National Cyber Security Authority of the Ministry of Digital Governance has outlined some practical steps to follow for better online security and privacy.
- Avoid providing personal information (e.g., e-banking passwords, card numbers/PINs, login credentials, username) to alleged intermediaries, legal offices, accountants, or any entities claiming to assist with various public or private related matters (e.g., state subsidies, Power/Fuel/Tourism for All, or other scenarios such as room rentals).
- Citizens should only access the official websites of government bodies, organizations, or banks directly or through their official mobile apps.
- If you receive a suspicious email, contact your associates or the supposed sender before taking any action to verify its authenticity.
- Carefully check the sender’s email address. Phishing messages often use sender addresses unrelated to the alleged source.
- Examine the type of information requested. Even if the received message seems authentic, it’s unlikely that a government body, bank, or company would contact you via email to request personal information, banking or credit card details, or other personal or sensitive data.
As the National Cyber Security Authority states fake instructions via phishing may involve clicking on an electronic link (URL) and providing sensitive private information, such as personal details, passwords, identification or passport information, bank account details, and more.
