The Ministry of Digital Governance has issued a warning about fraudulent messages impersonating Gov.gr.
Citizens are advised to take specific measures to guard against phishing attacks, where deceptive emails and messages attempt to mislead recipients.
The ministry stresses the following:
“Citizens should exercise extreme caution, even if the sender or the message appears genuine, to avoid falling victim to scammers who operate in this manner.”
Ministry Announcement
Recently, reports have surfaced of phishing emails targeting users. These deceptive messages mimic requests from the government’s Unified Digital Gateway, Gov.gr, prompting citizens to click on links to claim “unclaimed benefits.”
The National Cybersecurity Authority provides citizens with helpful guidelines for enhanced security and privacy. Phishing is a tactic of deceiving internet users, where the sender pretends to represent a trusted organization or individual, urging the recipient to follow given instructions.
These instructions often ask the user to click on a link or provide sensitive information, such as personal identifiers, passwords, bank account or card details, and more.
Practical Tips for Protecting Against Phishing Attacks:
- Never share personal information (such as Taxis codes, e-Banking passwords, card numbers/PINs, usernames) with supposed intermediaries, legal offices, accountants, or others offering “assistance.”
- Access only through official channels by visiting the organization’s official website or app directly, rather than through links from messages, emails, search engines, or other sites.
- Verify suspicious emails by contacting colleagues or the supposed sender directly to check authenticity before taking any action.
- Examine the sender’s address carefully—phishing messages often use unrelated sender addresses.
- Review requested information types: Legitimate entities rarely request personal data, banking information, or sensitive details via email.
- Be cautious of messages that create urgency, as attackers often use this tactic to pressure recipients.
- Stay alert for refund or grant-related messages and scrutinize grammar and spelling, as phishing messages often contain errors.
Various security and antispam solutions provide malware detection and rejection functions to help protect against such messages.
