14 December 2023

Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission – Imposter websites

We recommend caution if contacted by anyone claiming to be from the Cyprus Securities Exchange Commission (CySEC).

CySEC has warned that its website has been copied and scammers are impersonating its officials in a complex “recovery” scam.

Previous scam victims are being contacted by CySEC impersonators via emails and phone, then asked to pay fees and/or purchase cryptocurrency under the guise of recovering lost funds.

CySEC has stated it has no authority or jurisdiction to collect fees from individuals or request personal data.

View four warnings regarding this complex scam on the CySEC official website.

February 2024 update

Features of this scam include:

Persistent or unreasonable attempts to contact you either by phone or email. CySEC has stated it never makes contact by telephone or sends unsolicited correspondence.
Emails or calls requesting personal data—including those asking to “verify” individuals or to check a so-called CySEC “database”.
Being contacted online by individuals claiming to be from CySEC but who do not use the correct government email domain of “@cysec.gov.cy”. We note all the email addresses we have warned about in this scam have tried to mimic this genuine domain name.
Telling an individual they must pay cryptocurrency fees or some kind of tax before recovering funds.
Creating a sense of urgency by giving deadlines to hand over personal information or funds.

October 2024 update

As of October 2024, this scam is ongoing. It continues to impact a large number of victims.

If you have been contacted by someone claiming to represent CySEC, do not give out your personal details or transfer any funds.

If you suspect you've been targeted by this scam, please contact CySEC directly.