A doctor has warned of online scams exploiting the pain of Limassol fire victims, with fraudsters asking unsuspecting citizens to play internet games that supposedly raise money for those affected.
Doctor and gerontologist Marios Kyriazis raised the alarm through a social media post, warning that scammers are taking advantage of the Limassol fire victims’ suffering.
According to Kyriazis, the fraudsters ask people to play online games where they pay money and then “win” larger amounts that allegedly go to fire victims. The doctor warned this is a scam and advised public caution.
In his full social media post, Kyriazis wrote: “As if the pain and disappointment aren’t enough, opportunists have now taken the chance to exploit what happened with the fires. There’s a new internet scam where supposed fire victims tell their tragic story and ask you to play internet games (Sugar Rush), where you pay some amount and then ‘win’ more, which goes to fire victims. This morning I saw two of these. Be careful!!”.
Kyriazis included advice from ChatGPT explaining why such schemes are fraudulent, noting that scammers create fake profiles, use emotional manipulation referencing current disasters, and request advance payments.
The guidance stated that legitimate online games never pay real money just for playing, especially not requiring upfront payment.
The advice recommended not responding or sending money, reporting profiles to Facebook, blocking accounts immediately, and contacting banks or payment providers if money has already been sent.
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