The police are warning citizens about SMS messages in which perpetrators falsely identify themselves as the Ministry of the Interior and call for payment of a fine via a link to a website, which, they emphasize, the police never do via SMS messages.
The messages invite citizens to pay the fine within a certain period of time via an internet link that leads to a fake (phishing) website, designed to look like the official website of the Ministry of the Interior and the e-Violation system, and on which they are asked to enter personal and bank card details, including the CVV number. The police state that the malicious website has since been deactivated and does not currently pose a threat, but they still urge citizens to be extra careful.
"Police officers of the Ministry of the Interior never send citizens notifications about committed violations via SMS messages, nor do they request the entry of personal data or bank card data (including the card number and CVV code) into any online form or website. Official notifications are delivered exclusively by registered mail, in writing," the police emphasize.
The official website of the Ministry of the Interior through which citizens can check the details of the violations listed in the Ministry's notice is: https://eprekrsaji.mup.hr/, and only for speeding violations, they add. The police also emphasize that notices are not sent for violations such as illegal parking.
"We urge citizens to be especially cautious when receiving SMS or other messages from unknown numbers and from unknown persons posing as their child, bank, Tax Administration, police or other institutions - especially if the message requests personal information or bank card details. Such messages should not be trusted. We recommend that they delete them immediately and block communication with the specified number," the police said.
They also warn of fraud through telephone calls that citizens receive from people falsely posing as bank employees, police officers, doctors, and the like, in which they ask for "money verification" because the citizen allegedly possesses counterfeit banknotes, or, alternatively, they request an urgent payment of money for fictitious surgeries for family members.
"Police officers do not check over the phone whether a person has counterfeit money, nor do they claim that a bank employee paid out such money. In any case, if police officers temporarily seize an item, including money, they are required to issue a certificate of temporary seizure of the item, which includes information about the police station, the name and surname of the police officer, and the police station's stamp," they explain.
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