Telephone fraud - What to do with suspicious calls?
Telephone fraud is no longer a marginal phenomenon: criminals are increasingly trying to obtain sensitive data or even direct money payments over the phone. The fraudsters rely on psychological tricks, state-of-the-art technology - and often on the inexperience or insecurity of their victims.
No matter how tech-savvy or cautious you are, anyone can be the target of a scam.
In this guide you will find out:
- How telephone fraud works
- How to recognize suspicious calls
- What you should do in an emergency
- How you can protect yourself sustainably
What is telephone fraud anyway?
Telephone fraud refers to fraudulent attempts to obtain personal information, money or access data from victims by calling them. There is a wide range of methods - here are the most common:
Typical scams:
- Call center fraud: You receive calls purporting to be from banks, authorities or support companies. The callers appear friendly but assertive - and build up pressure to obtain confidential information.
- Fake police officers: Fraudsters pretend to be the police and warn you about alleged burglaries or bank fraud - with the aim of persuading you to hand over valuables or make a bank transfer.
- Microsoft support scam: "Your computer is infected!" - Scammers try to get you to install remote maintenance programs in order to steal data or extort ransom money later.
- Sweepstakes scam: You have supposedly won a car or a trip - but only if you pay fees or taxes in advance.
- Grandchild trick and relative trick: Fraudsters pretend to be grandchildren, nieces or nephews who are in an emergency and urgently need money.
- Ping calls: Your phone only rings briefly. Callback attempts to the displayed international number can result in high charges.
The aim of these methods:
- Data theft: Personal information such as passwords or bank details are tapped.
- Financial losses: Directly through bank transfers or indirectly through fraudulent debits.
- Blackmail: If a malicious program is installed on the computer, a ransom is demanded.
- Identity theft: Your personal data is misused for other crimes.
How do I recognize a scam call?
Although fraudsters are becoming increasingly professional, there are typical warning signs that will help you recognize such attacks early on.
Watch out for the following signs:
- Unsolicited calls: You should be particularly skeptical of spontaneous contacts from banks, Microsoft, the police or lottery organizers.
- Pressure and scaremongering: "Act now!", "Otherwise you'll lose your money!" - Stress and fear should cloud your judgment.
- Time pressure: You should not have time to think or ask questions.
- Threats: Criminals often claim that you are taking a big risk if you don't cooperate.
- Unusual requests for payment: Payments in gift cards (e.g. Google Play, Amazon), cryptocurrencies or transfers to foreign accounts.
- Complicated stories: The more convoluted the story, the more likely it is to be a scam.
- Technical jargon: Fraudsters like to use technical IT terms to feign competence.
Typical formulations:
- "Your account has been compromised. Please help us to investigate!"
- "You urgently need to allow remote maintenance on your computer."
- "Congratulations! You've won - just pay the processing fee."
Exemplary scenarios:
- Support scam: You receive a call from a supposed Microsoft hotline. The caller claims that viruses have been found on your computer and asks you to download software.
- Police trick: The caller introduces himself as a police officer and warns you about burglars in your area. Your valuables are allegedly at risk and must be handed over "temporarily".
Note: No reputable company or authority will ask for sensitive data or payments over the phone!
Telephone fraud - what to do in an emergency?
If you receive a suspicious call, you should follow these steps:
1. hang up
- Remain polite but firm.
- Do not discuss.
- The shorter the conversation, the less information the fraudsters can gather.
2. do not disclose any data
- Do not give out passwords, PINs, bank details or ID card details.
- Reputable agencies never ask for such information over the phone.
3. note the number and conversation history
- If possible, save the number.
- Note down details such as time, name of the caller, content of the call.
- This information helps the police or provider to trace the offender later.
4. deny device access
- Do not allow remote maintenance.
- Do not click on any links or open any unknown files.
5. remain psychologically steadfast
- Don't let yourself be manipulated by fear or flattery.
- Scammers are trained conversation professionals - trust your gut feeling.
If you are unsure: interrupt the call, hang up and call the official number of the authority or company yourself.
Where can I report scam calls?
The faster fraud attempts are reported, the better they can be investigated and prevented:
- Police: Report to any police station or online watch.
- Consumer advice center: Information and support for fraudulent calls.
- Cybercrime Reporting Center (NCSC): www.ncsc.admin.ch
- With your telephone provider: Many providers offer their own hotlines (e.g. TalkTalk Support) and online forms to report and block fraudulent numbers.
- Use apps such as Truecaller or Hiya to report spam numbers directly and warn other users.
How to protect yourself from future scam calls
Consistent protection helps to prevent telephone fraud from the outset. Various measures are available to you for this purpose.
Technical measures:
- Block numbers: Block suspicious numbers directly on your smartphone or router.
- Not in the phone book: Set your entry to "not public".
- Use call blocking apps: Programs such as Truecaller, Clever Dialer or call blocking apps from your provider automatically detect and block spam.
- Activate spam filters with mobile phone providers: Many providers offer free protection.
Rules of conduct:
- Do not respond to unknown international numbers: Especially for very short calls ("ping calls").
- No payments over the phone: Reputable companies do not request payments or codes over the phone.
- Distrust as standard: Especially for unexpected calls requiring urgent action.
- Raise awareness in your environment: Older relatives and less tech-savvy people are often preferred targets - educate them about the most important tricks.
Conclusion - keep calm and get help
Telephone fraud can affect anyone - young or old, cautious or tech-savvy. The most important thing is to stay calm, don't let yourself be put under pressure and don't give out any information.
To summarize:
- Hang up immediately in case of suspicion
- Do not disclose any personal information
- Report suspicious calls consistently
- Use technical protective measures
- Raise awareness in your own environment
And remember: getting help is not a sign of weakness. It is better to report one suspected case too many than one too few - you are not only protecting yourself, but also others.
