Online fraud in Split and Omiš: three victims lose over €170,000
Three men from Split and Omiš lost more than €170,000 after becoming victims of computer fraud. The Split-Dalmatia police are searching for the perpetrators.
Fake brokers, SMS fraud and crypto machines: three victims, €170,000 in damages
Three people from Split and Omiš were defrauded of a total of more than €170,000 in separate cases of computer fraud, the Split-Dalmatia police announced on Monday. According to a report carried by 24sata, criminal investigations in two cases are still ongoing.
SMS impersonates banking application
In the first case, reported in Omiš, a 34-year-old received an SMS message stating that he needed to update the OTP bank mobile banking application. The message also contained a code for "reactivating the application". After following the instructions, more than €13,000 disappeared from his account.
Advertisement for investment in oil and cryptocurrencies
The second case concerns a 42-year-old from the Omiš area who, between 1 June and 28 August this year, found an advertisement for investment in oil, gold and cryptocurrency trading. He made several transfers totalling just over €14,000. The expected returns did not materialise, and his transferred money was not returned. Police have launched a criminal investigation.
Split case: more than €142,000 through crypto machines
Police received the most serious case on 28 August. A Split resident found an advertisement online in July for an investment agency in cryptocurrencies called HCM and left his personal and contact details via a link. He was then contacted by telephone and email by individuals who identified themselves as brokers, lawyers, representatives of the UK Tax Authority, a Swiss bank and an insurance agency — with promises of returns on his invested money.
Following their instructions, between 21 July and 27 August, he transferred cash via crypto machines, using contact numbers and codes provided by the fraudulent contacts. In total, he lost more than €142,000. The investigation is ongoing.
Source: 24sata