According to the WKStA, preliminary investigations are carried out “increasingly complex”

The Economic and Corruption Public Prosecutor’s Office (WKStA) is confronted with increasingly complex proceedings. Especially in the area of ​​cybercrime, technical, practical and legal challenges are increasingly being encountered, said the head of the cybercrime competence center, Matthias Purkart, at a press conference on Wednesday.

The WKStA currently has 45 public prosecutors who are supported by ten business experts. There is also a team of 15 IT experts who are shared with other public prosecutors. This number is expected to be increased soon.

According to Purkart, around a third of the proceedings now concern cybercrime – the WKStA is responsible if a certain level of damage is reached or if criminal organizations are behind a crime. The crimes could be roughly divided into three groups: investment fraud, for example with pyramid schemes, emergency fraud, for example by false police officers, and the so-called “CEO Fraud”. In the latter case, fraudsters would spy on data communication in large companies and get employees to transfer money, for example after a supposed order from the boss.

“Highly professional structures”

The challenges are more complex than before “normal” Procedure. Everything would take place digitally: the payment flows would be carried out via cryptocurrencies, the data for this would often not be in Austria. You stand “highly professional structures” Opposite, which are structured like a company and range from a small employee in the call center, who perhaps only suspects that something might be illegal, to middle management and the mastermind behind it.

Legal limits are often reached because the criminal procedure code still has offline crimes in mind, says Purkart. Many crimes could not even be solved. “There is still far too little skepticism about these forms of fraud.” It doesn’t just affect the gullible: “The days of the Nigerian prince and inheritance are over.” And: “There’s no shame in going to the police. This could be the difference between still having your life savings or not.”

WKStA boss Ilse-Maria Vrabl-Sanda also took part in yesterday’s press conference. When asked about criticism from former Chancellor Sebastian shortly after his first-instance conviction for giving false evidence, she said that public trust was essential for the work of the WKStA. You will therefore “not enter a political arena – and especially not with an accused.”

The WKStA is “primarily as a fact-finding authority” to see. In order for this to take action, the suspicion situation needs to be consolidated. “We don’t scan all media to see if there might be an initial suspicion.”

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