Received a call from an unknown number? Caution: There could be a scam behind this. You should never answer certain phone numbers.
Bremen – Whether on the phone, in apps or by e-mail, fraudsters always find ways to successfully rip off their victims. The scams they use are diverse and range from the well-known grandchild trick to payment requests in online shops to so-called "love scamming" on dating portals.
In order to warn consumers against dubious tricks of the criminals and, above all, to protect them, the telephone spam check Clever Dialer publishes suspicious telephone numbers in a press release on a monthly basis. You can find out which numbers you should not go to here.
Fraud on the phone: "Sweepstakes calls" are on the rise – these are the top 10 spam numbers
A method that is particularly popular with fraudsters is that of supposedly winning a lottery. Such a message is not only making the rounds by e-mail, but is currently also increasingly being sent by phone call. According to Clever Dialer, those affected hear, among other things, the following: "You won the lottery. We need your address and account details for data reconciliation." Phone numbers associated with this scam are among the top three on the May 2023 spam list. Calls of this kind were received not only from Berlin, but also from Milan.
If such numbers appear on the display, it is better not to answer the phone:
Detecting and Preventing Fraud: The Top 10 Spam Phone Numbers in May 2023. © Clever Dialer
In the list, the phone numbers are listed in descending order of frequency. The scale also indicates how often a phone number has been reported by those affected and whether it is a matter of continuous calls, a competition, a direct cost trap or advertising. In the spring of 2023, fraudulent calls from Europol in particular made the rounds.
"I would say, attention!": Victims of telephone spam report calls
According to Clever Dialer, people who have received such spam calls comment on them as follows, among other things:
- 03025555459 landline from Berlin (competition): "It's best not to answer the call. It's about a subscription to a competition that is automatically renewed for 12 months at € 79.00 because you have not objected. A winning letter was sent beforehand."
- 03025555457 Landline from Berlin (competition): "I am said to have taken part in a competition – Euromillion or something like that. I don't know. I would say, attention!"
- +390240707879 landline from Milan (competition): "I've been called 20 times, always about a lottery game. I don't even answer the phone anymore!"
- 03025555453 landline from Berlin (cost trap): "Someone called 'Black' and asked if (my name) was on the phone. When I asked 'why?', the person hung up without words."
- 0233449365923 landline from Hagen-Hohenlimburg (cost trap): "It was exactly the same for me: supposedly I would have used a free trial period for Internet advertising, which I would have had to cancel. Now I'm supposed to pay 899,- EUR. They also requested my "telephone confirmation". BE CAREFUL!"
- 015215999927 Mobile (continuous calls): "Even though I don't answer, I get several calls a day."
- 040756740004 Landline from Hamburg (advertising): "Would like to sell an electricity tariff. Have already received 5 calls within 2 days."
- 021136189051 landline from Dusseldorf (cost trap): "It's totally annoying. They just want money from you!"
- 015214434794 Mobile (cost trap): "Dental prostheses without costs? They wanted my account number. I said no and then hung up. Scammers!"
- 0208306730 landline from Oberhausen/Rhineland (advertising): "Insurance salesman. They're stubborn until they can get rid of something."
- Source: Clever Dialer DE→EN
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You should be carefulwith unknown phone numbers – they could be a fraudulent attempt. © imago/Symbolic image
Beware, phone rip-off: scam calls via landlines continue to be popular
The number of spam calls from the fixed network, which currently account for 67.6 percent (as of May 2023), has fallen by around nine percent compared to the previous month. Nevertheless, the home connection remains the most popular place for criminals. By comparison, only 32.4 percent of fraudulent calls were made via mobile communications. So-called "shock calls" are also a popular means of rip-off.
If you are ever called from the above or other numbers, there is the possibility to report them to Clever Dialer. The Federal Network Agency also has a corresponding complaint form. If you have the option of blocking the spam numbers, you should always do so anyway to avoid further harassment as much as possible. (asc)
