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41 clusters · 149 sources · 131 days · First seen · Last updated

Expanding wave of fraud across Central Europe and the Balkan

Overview

Investigations reveal an intensifying wave of electronic, financial, and social engineering scams across Central Europe and the Balkans. Throughout mid-to-late 2026, authorities reported diverse fraudulent tactics targeting both private citizens and public institutions. Investment and cryptocurrency scams remain widespread. In the Czech Republic, a 67-year-old man in the Trutnov region was defrauded of nearly 13 million CZK using fake advertisements featuring political figures. In Slovakia, a senior woman in Bratislava lost 13,920 euros to a cryptocurrency scam involving remote access via a malicious application.

In Croatia, new investigations highlight the scale of financial losses. In Bjelovar, a 44-year-old man is accused of misappropriating over 82,000 euros from a managed company through unauthorized withdrawals and loans. In the Split-Dalmatia region, victims reported losses to phishing SMS and fraudulent advertisements for oil, gold, and cryptocurrency. Recent reports from September 2026 indicate further significant losses in Croatia. A 77-year-old woman from the Osijek region lost over 200,000 euros following digital misinformation regarding oil derivatives. In Split, a 78-year-old woman was defrauded of more than 2,200 euros through a cryptocurrency advertisement and social media contact. Additionally, a 67-year-old lost over 30,000 euros to a fake global stock exchange advertisement, while a 50-year-old lost approximately 140,000 euros to a cryptocurrency scam. In Vodice, a 71-year-old retiree was defrauded by individuals posing as police officers.

In Slovakia, the consumer organization dTest warns that scammers are increasingly using artificial intelligence and polished websites to impersonate bank officials. The fear of fraud is a significant barrier to investment, with an IPSOS survey revealing that 17.3% of people refrain from investing due to the fear of being robbed.

Entities

Croatian Police · Brčko District Police · A. J. · Wood & Company · Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Timeline

  1. [CRIME] 4 sources
    Croatia: Elderly citizens targeted by digital investment scams

    Elderly residents in Croatia have fallen victim to significant digital fraud, including a 200,000 euro oil derivative scam and a cryptocurrency scheme, prompting police warnings.

  2. [CRIME] 3 sources
    Slovak police charge two in 31-million-euro investment fraud

    Slovak police have charged two individuals in a 31-million-euro Ponzi scheme involving the AGF brand, which defrauded over 500 people through fake investment returns.

  3. [BUSINESS] 4 sources
    Investment fraud rises in Slovakia as scams target cryptocurrency interest

    Rising investment and cryptocurrency scams in Slovakia are deterring many from participating in the market. Experts urge consumers to verify firms via the National Bank of Slovakia to avoid sophisticated fraud.

  4. [CRIME] 7 sources
    Croatia police investigate multiple fraud and investment scams

    Croatian police are investigating multiple fraud cases, including investment scams totaling over 170,000 euros and an impersonation scam targeting a retiree in Vodice.

  5. [CRIME] 7 sources
    Croatia police investigate multiple financial fraud and embezzlement cases

    Croatian police are investigating several fraud cases, including an 82,000 euro embezzlement in Bjelovar and multiple scams in Split involving phishing and fraudulent cryptocurrency investments.

  6. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Sofia Police warn of phone scams after elderly woman loses 7,000 euros

    An elderly woman in Bulgaria lost 7,000 euros to scammers posing as medical staff claiming her daughter needed urgent surgery. Police have launched an investigation and issued a public warning.

  7. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Slovenia police investigate online investment scams totaling 55,000 euros

    Two victims in Slovenia lost over 55,000 euros to online investment scams involving fake AI-driven platforms and fraudulent advisors.

  8. [CRIME] 3 sources
    Bratislava police warn of cryptocurrency scam targeting senior

    A senior in Bratislava lost nearly 14,000 euros to scammers who used a fake cryptocurrency investment scheme and remote-access software to drain her bank account.

  9. [CRIME] 6 sources
    Croatia police report 178,000 euros lost to various fraud schemes

    Police in Croatia reported four fraud cases involving cryptocurrency, fake stocks, and gold investments, totaling over 178,000 euros in losses.

  10. [CRIME] 3 sources
    Trutnov senior defrauded of 13 million CZK in investment scam

    A senior in the Trutnov region lost nearly 13 million CZK to scammers using fake ads featuring Andrej Babiš and Tereza Tománková. The victim handed large cash sums to couriers using the code word ‘koloběžka’.

  11. [CRIME] 8 sources
    Police investigate various fraud cases and long-term robbery suspect arrest

    Police in Croatia are investigating cryptocurrency and rental accommodation scams, while a suspect in a 2014 German bank robbery was arrested in Spain.

  12. [CRIME] 6 sources
    Elderly Czech victims lose up to 112,000 CZK in phone and SMS scams

    Czech police flag multiple scams that have cost seniors up to 112,000 CZK, involving fake relatives, bogus delivery fees and promised overseas payouts; victims urged to verify requests and report fraud.

  13. [CRIME] 5 sources
    Hradec Králové fraud sees 46 million CZK siphoned by impersonators

    A Hradec Králové municipal employee sent 46 million CZK to fraudsters posing as police and bank staff; the loss, deemed a record vishing scam, led to resignation, police investigation and warnings of rising fra

  14. [CRIME] 21 sources
    Croatian investors lose €80,000 in fraud; police warn of rising scams

    Croatian victims lose up to €80,000 in sophisticated investment scams; police issue wide‑ranging warnings on WhatsApp, SMS and fake‑official calls.

  15. [CRIME] 8 sources
    Slovak National Bank warns of fake funeral insurance scams

    The Slovak National Bank warns that fake funeral‑insurance offers are being used to harvest personal data for later fraud, urging verification of insurers and caution with online links.

  16. [CRIME] 14 sources
    Three impostor police officers arrested in Zagreb for elderly fraud

    Zagreb police arrested a 34‑year‑old man, a 38‑year‑old man and a 39‑year‑old woman who posed as officers to swindle two elderly women of €6,300 and attempted a third fraud, after citizen tips led to their June

  17. [CRIME] 3 sources
    Czech Health Insurance Fund warns of phishing scam targeting bank accounts

    Czech Health Insurance Fund (VZP) warns that fraudsters send fake links to update health cards, stealing personal and banking data. Do not click or share details; report to banks and police.

  18. [CRIME] 7 sources
    Czech and Burkina Faso men face years in prison for multi‑million fraud schemes

    A Czech man defrauded online buyers of 1.1 million crowns and faces up to five years, while a Burkina Faso victim lost over 4.6 million crowns after a TV‑ad investment scam.

  19. [BUSINESS] 19 sources
    Ivica Todorić Faces Confirmed Charges in Agrokor Fraud Case

    Croatian courts confirm indictment against former Agrokor owner Ivica Todorić and auditor Discordija; auditor Sanja Hrstić pleaded guilty and received a suspended nine‑month sentence. Damage ≈ €179 million.

  20. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Czech phishing emails promise fake 12,407.50 CZK refunds

    Scam emails in the Czech Republic promise a 12,407.50 CZK refund, use official logos and fake forms to steal banking credentials, prompting police warnings about potential losses.

  21. [CRIME] 5 sources
    Czech seniors lose over 9 million CZK to online investment fraud

    Czech police report two senior‑targeted investment scams that cost a Rychnov couple about 8 million CZK and a Tábor woman over 1 million CZK, warning the public against such online fraud.

  22. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Croatian ex‑bank director and accomplices charged in multi‑million euro fraud

    Croatian prosecutors charge a former bank director, a former personal banker and a third suspect with a €1.8 million fraud and money‑laundering scheme that hurt customers and the bank.

  23. [CRIME] 6 sources
    Croatian man loses thousands in cryptocurrency trading fraud

    A 38‑year‑old Croatian was scammed out of thousands of euros by a fake cryptocurrency trading site; police warn others to verify licences and avoid unverified investment apps.

  24. [CRIME] 3 sources
    Croatian police report assault in Zagorje and AI‑driven fraud scam in Varaždin

    Croatian police arrested a 56‑year‑old for assaulting an officer in Zagorje, and a 64‑year‑old in Varaždin fell victim to an AI‑earnings fraud, losing several thousand euros.

  25. [CRIME] 8 sources
    Slovak and Czech police bust cross‑border crypto‑investment fraud network

    Slovak and Czech police, with Europol, dismantled a crypto‑investment fraud network that swindled over 1,000 victims of about €8.4 million, while prosecutors in Košice filed charges in a related €24 million‑scc

  26. [CRIME] 9 sources
    Bank SMS phishing scams affect Bosnia, Croatia and Montenegro

    Police in Bosnia, Croatia and Montenegro warn that fake SMS messages posing as banks are stealing personal data and emptying accounts, with losses reported in the hundreds of euros.

  27. [CRIME] 3 sources
    Split‑Dalmatia police log rise in computer fraud, thefts and road accidents

    Split‑Dalmatian police reported a surge of crimes including computer fraud, thefts, road accidents and a SMS phishing scam that cost three victims about €2,300.

  28. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Czech police address online romance fraud and train harassment cases

    Czech police warn of a romance scam that cost a woman over a million crowns and fine a man 6,000 crowns for touching a teenage girl on a train, underscoring crackdowns on fraud and harassment.

  29. [CRIME] 4 sources
    Slovenian police say crypto‑scam fraud cost victims €102,000

    Slovenian police uncovered two online crypto‑scam frauds that cost victims €12,000 and over €90,000, and issued warnings against sharing banking data.

  30. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Slovakia and Czech Republic Warned of Massive Investment and Phishing Scams

    Security researchers flagged over 236,000 fake investment sites using a Chinese framework, while Czech officials warned of phishing emails promising a 240,000‑CZK payout that request personal IDs.

  31. [CRIME] 3 sources
    Slovenian police bust online scams that stole €46,000 from two victims

    Slovenian police say two online scams, using fake apps, stole €33,600 and €12,970 from victims in Celje region.

  32. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Czech police alert to online romance scams draining millions from victims

    Czech police report two romance‑fraud cases: a man lost 5.5 m CZK in a fake crypto scheme, and a woman sent €42,000 to an impostor claiming to be a US soldier. Victims warned to verify online contacts.

  33. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Bulgaria warns of rising phone spoofing scams targeting victims

    Bulgarian officials warn of phone‑spoofing scams where callers fake trusted numbers, threatening victims and demanding payments; regulators are preparing new protections.

  34. [CRIME] 16 sources
    Croatian police warn of rising online investment and romance scams costing victims tens of thousands of euros

    Croatian police report a series of online scams—including fake investment, parking‑ticket and romance frauds—that have cost victims over €60 000, and urge caution and reporting.

  35. [CRIME] 5 sources
    Police alert citizens to phishing, bank fraud and fake investment scams in Croatia and Montenegro

    Police in Croatia and Montenegro warn of phishing, bank fraud and a fake investment scheme that have cost victims thousands of euros, urging people not to share personal or banking data.

  36. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Croatian County Loses Hundreds of Thousands Euros in Email Scam, Serbian Woman Defrauded of 370 Euros via SMS

    A Croatian county lost hundreds of thousands of euros after an email scam, while a Serbian woman was duped by an SMS and lost about 370 euros, highlighting rising fraud threats.

  37. [CRIME] 5 sources
    Croatian police bust fraud and forced‑theft schemes targeting senior citizens

    Croatian police arrested a fraud duo who stole €120,000 from three senior women and a pair who forced a 43‑year‑old man to commit thefts and take bank loans across several cities.

  38. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Croatian police warn of gold‑oil investment scam that defrauded victim of over €50,000

    Croatian police report a fraud where impostor brokers swindled a man out of €50,000 by promising gold‑oil gains, urging caution against fast‑return schemes.

  39. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Croatian residents lose over €17,000 to fake bank SMS scams

    Croatian police report fake bank SMS scams in Split, Trogir and Hvar costing victims €17,100; authorities warn against clicking suspicious links.

  40. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Bulgaria faces new parent‑targeted phishing scam via iMessage and SMS

    A mass phishing scam in Bulgaria imitates a child asking a parent for help, using foreign numbers (including Morocco's +212) to lure victims into sending money or personal data.

  41. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Croatian and Bosnian police alert public to rise in banking phishing and fake‑investment scams

    Police in Bosnia and Croatia warn of SMS banking phishing and fake‑investment scams that have cost victims hundreds to thousands of euros.

Sources

013info.rs · 24hod.sk · 24ur.com · 6yka.com · aksamuzeri.com · aktuelno.me · antenazadar.hr · apartheidmonitor.palestine-studies.org · beta.rs · biznis.rs · bizniscg.me · blesk.cz · botevgrad.com · brnenska.drbna.cz · bug.hr · burgasinfo.com · ceska-justice.cz · cnn.iprima.cz · crimes.bg · ctsnet.org · curioctopus.guru · dalmacijadanas.hr · dalmacijanews.hr · dalmatinskiportal.hr · dan.co.me · danas.rs · dancersglobal.com · dariknews.bg · districtnews.co.uk · dnevno.hr · domzalec.si · dotekomanie.cz · dotyk.cz · dovolena.idnes.cz · dubrovackidnevnik.net.hr · dubrovniknet.hr · dulist.hr · e15.cz · emedjimurje.hr · espreso.co.rs · etv.me · europagroup.com · eventbrite.co.uk · fenix-magazin.de · financieportal.com · fiuman.hr · forum24.cz · glas-slavonije.hr

This summary has been updated 10 times: see revision history