Man scammed out of CZK 91,000 by fake website while setting up bank identity

A 46-year-old man from Přerov lost CZK 91,000 after falling victim to an online scam while attempting to establish a citizen’s bank identity. The man unknowingly entered his banking details into a fraudulent website, allowing the perpetrators to access and withdraw funds from his account, police spokesman Libor Hejtman confirmed.

The man tried to create a bank-linked identity on Sunday, using his phone’s browser to search for the service. A seemingly legitimate link to his bank appeared in the search results. “The website looked authentic, so the victim entered his login credentials, including his name, surname, and password for online banking,” said Hejtman. However, the process failed, and the man couldn’t access his account until the next day when he discovered CZK 91,000 had been withdrawn.

Authorities are urging the public to exercise caution when clicking on links related to banking services. In this case, the scammers face up to eight years in prison for charges of unauthorized access and forgery.

In a separate incident, police are also investigating the case of a man from the Olomouc region who lost over CZK 1 million in a cryptocurrency investment scam. Both cases highlight the growing prevalence of online fraud, prompting police to issue renewed warnings to citizens about the dangers of suspicious links and fake websites.

Source: CTK