Legal area
Finance, banking and investments
The legal problems are fraud, a blocked account or a refused withdrawal, and platforms without authorisation. You check whether a provider is authorised in the EU in ESMA's register and, for the Czech Republic, in the Czech National Bank (ČNB) lists. After a fraud, call your bank at once and report it to the police. A lawyer helps with larger sums, damages and a dispute with the platform. Nobody can guarantee that you get your money back. This is legal information, not investment advice.
Quick answers
- Which crypto and investment problems are legal problems?
- Fraud, a blocked account or refused withdrawal, a provider without authorisation, a contract dispute and tax. Whether an investment pays off is not a legal question, and these pages say nothing about it.
- Where do I check whether a platform is authorised?
- In ESMA's register of crypto-asset service providers and, for the Czech Republic, in the ČNB lists. Search for the exact company name from the contract, not the app's name.
- What do I do right after a fraud?
- Call your bank, block cards and online banking and ask whether payments can be stopped. Keep all evidence and file a criminal complaint with the police.
Legal situations in this area
Select a specific situation below to read a detailed legal guide.
Crypto or investment scam involving a Czech company or platform: what to do now
You sent money to a trading or crypto platform that claims to be Czech, uses a Czech company or a Czech bank account, and now you cannot withdraw anything. The first hours matter most: your bank may be able to try to stop or recover the payments, and the Czech police need your evidence.
Is a crypto or investment platform authorised in the EU? How to check (MiCA, ESMA, Czech Republic)
You want to open an account with a crypto exchange or online broker, or your platform changed its terms because of the EU rules, and you are not sure it is allowed to serve you. Since the EU crypto-asset rules (known as MiCA) apply, a crypto-asset service provider needs an authorisation. You can check it for free in ESMA's register and in the Czech National Bank's lists.
Frequently asked questions
- Will I get my money back?
- Nobody can guarantee it. A Czech bank must refund payments you did not authorise; payments you made yourself are not covered by that rule.
- When does a lawyer help?
- With larger sums, a damages claim in the criminal proceedings, a dispute with a bank or platform, and recipients in several countries.
- What does it cost?
- You call the bank, file the complaint and report the platform to the ČNB yourself. Proceedings before the Czech financial arbiter carry no fee. Lawyers always charge.
- Someone offers to recover my money for a fee. Is that genuine?
- Usually not. The Czech police warn that such offers are often the next stage of the fraud. Pay nothing up front.
- I am a foreigner. Does this apply to me?
- Yes. A complaint can be filed at any police department in the Czech Republic and, from abroad, electronically with a recognised electronic signature. The ESMA and ČNB registers can be searched from anywhere.
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