Croatia: Elderly citizens targeted by digital investment scams

Elderly citizens in Croatia are increasingly being targeted by digital scammers through fraudulent investment schemes.

A 77-year-old woman from the Osijek region lost over 200,000 euros after being misled by an individual online regarding investments in oil derivatives. The transactions were conducted entirely through digital means, and police are currently working with financial institutions and international authorities to track the funds.

In a separate incident, a 78-year-old woman from Split was defrauded of more than 2,200 euros. She was lured by a cryptocurrency investment advertisement and subsequently contacted via a social media application by an individual promising rapid profits. After making initial payments and using a crypto-mat, she was asked for more money to facilitate the withdrawal of alleged gains, at which point she realized she had been scammed.

Authorities are urging the public to remain skeptical of online offers promising easy wealth and to verify the authenticity of any company or website before sharing personal or banking information.