Police in the Czech Republic are warning against fraudulent text messages that appear to come from the emergency number 158. These messages falsely claim that a criminal complaint has been filed against the recipient.
The fraudulent SMS messages, which seem to originate from 158, contain a link leading to a fake website. This was announced today by the police on the social network X. Authorities urge recipients not to click on the link under any circumstances. The case is already under investigation by the criminal investigation department.
The message states: “A criminal complaint has been filed in your name. Check your data field for more information.” It then provides a link to a fraudulent website.
“We have seen a surge in fake text messages claiming to be from 158. This is a case of spoofing. Under no circumstances should you click on the attached link. We do not send such messages from 158!” the police emphasised. They added that dozens of people who opened the fraudulent link have already contacted them.
Spoofing is a sophisticated form of fraud in which criminals impersonate a trusted entity to make their messages appear legitimate. The goal of these fraudsters is to gain unauthorised access to bank accounts or personal data.
According to police, investigating such cases is extremely complex and often involves international elements. “However, close cooperation with mobile phone providers, banking institutions, and state authorities has repeatedly proven effective and leads to results in the long term,” the police stated on X.
