Slovakia warns of surge in fraud targeting mayors and city officials

The Slovak Ministry of Interior and the Police Criminal Unit report a rise in scams aimed at mayors and municipal leaders. Scammers contact officials by phone and continue the deception via WhatsApp, posing as employees of the National Bank of Slovakia or other trusted institutions. They claim the municipality’s bank account is infected with malware or under imminent attack and urge immediate transfers to alleged “security” or “protective” accounts.

Fake domain names mimicking Ministry of Interior websites are used to add credibility. Officials are instructed to cease all communication, not to move any funds, verify requests directly with their bank, inform IT security staff and report the incident to police.