Cyber fraud drains Czech citizens of two billion crowns in six months
Experts warned that sophisticated phishing and AI-driven scams have cost Czechs roughly two billion crowns in the first half of the year.
During a discussion on cyber safety, Aleš Rod of the Czech Insurance Association, police criminologist Ondřej Kapr, digital-fraud manager Andrea Komárková of ČSOB, and security chief Juraj Zajíček of Kooperativa described a sharp rise in phishing attacks that combine fake messages with phone calls posing as bank officials or police officers. They noted that AI now helps criminals quickly identify valuable targets and craft convincing narratives.
Although banks are piloting a real-time exchange of suspicious-account data, the speed of transactions leaves little time for intervention. Victims span educated professionals to middle-aged individuals, with women making up a high share of those duped by fake banker and police scams. The panel urged stronger personal vigilance, multi-factor authentication, and broader public education to curb the losses.
Why it matters
The growing cyber-fraud threatens personal finances and undermines trust in digital banking across the Czech Republic.
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