Retiree from Našice Loses More Than €35,000
The Osijek-Baranja Police Department has completed its criminal investigation and has identified a 43-year-old Czech national as a suspect in the fraud, against whom a criminal complaint will be filed.
The Osijek-Baranja Police Department has completed its criminal investigation and has identified a 43-year-old Czech national as a suspect in the fraud, against whom a criminal complaint will be filed.
A 69-year-old woman from the Našice area has been left without more than €35,000 after believing for several months that she was investing in precious metals. The Osijek-Baranja Police Department announced on Saturday, August 9, 2026, that a 43-year-old Czech national is suspected of the fraud.
The police claim that the suspect deceived the woman with false information to encourage her to invest money. The payments were not made all at once but spanned from November 2025 to February 2026, during which time the 69-year-old transferred funds to the suspect's account on multiple occasions.
The fact that the payments were repeated over several months highlights a pattern commonly seen in investment fraud. It is not necessary for the victim to be immediately persuaded to part with a large sum-trust can be built gradually, and each subsequent payment is then presented as new progress toward profit or as a continuation of the existing investment.
In this case, according to police information, the woman believed her money was going into precious metals. The police have not disclosed how she came into contact with the 43-year-old, what return on investment was promised, or whether the suspect used online platforms or intermediaries.
The criminal investigation was conducted by police officers from the Criminal Police Sector of the Osijek-Baranja Police Department. A criminal complaint will be filed against the Czech national with the Municipal State Attorney's Office in Osijek on suspicion of committing the criminal offense of fraud.
The incident in Našice once again demonstrates how dangerous stories of quick or guaranteed profits can be when the other party controls the information and the account to which the money is paid. When investing tens of thousands of euros, verifying the person, company, licenses, and the actual existence of the investment is not just a formality but a fundamental protection of one's own money.
