Overall crime rates have been declining in the long term, yet the proportion of fraudcommitted in the online environment has been rising significantly. Digital fraud has become a highly profitable form of crime with a low risk of detection. Offenders continue to rely on wellknown social engineering principles—fear, time pressure, or the promise of quick profit—while exploiting modern technologies that allow rapid scale-up and an ever-increasing level of credibility.

Is this type of crime really so serious? Are the victims only “naive” people? Why isprevention so difficult? And how successful is the Police of the Czech Republic in combatingthis type of criminal activity?

This presentation will focus on current statistics, developments, and trends in online fraud, thespecifics and sophistication of contemporary attacks, the challenges of prevention, and theobstacles involved in identifying offenders.

The aim is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current situation, key risks, and realistic defensive possibilities.

Lieutenant Colonel Ondřej Kapr has served with the Police of the Czech Republic since 2007. During his career, he has worked across the entire police structure—from a local police station through district and regional criminal police units to his current position at the Bureau of Criminal Police and Investigation Service. His experience includes, for example, the apprehension of the offender known as the “Plyšáček pedophile king” and the investigation of the cyberattack on the Benešov hospital. Today, he specializes in online fraud, serving as a methodology expert and coordinator.

He is the founder of the Police of the Czech Republic’s internal methodology website, prepares training materials for police officers, and organizes nationwide courses. He is also an active lecturer not only within the police, but also for the Judicial Academy and other institutions. As a subjectmatter expert, he contributes to numerous prevention campaigns and projects, such as NePINdej!, Volač a Klikač, Velké odhalení, Tohle radši nezkoušejte!, and others.

He is a member of the Police of the Czech Republic’s Methodological Council for Crime Prevention and of the Ministry of the Interior’s “Cyber Commission.” He represents the police in the Czech Banking Association’s Commission for Banking and Financial Security and its Cybersecurity Working Group, where he regularly cooperates with the banking sector in combating online fraud.

Although he is not a prevention officer, he strongly believes in the power of prevention—especially in timely warnings about emerging threats and countering harmful narratives within society.