Complaints About Phone Number Abuse Rise to Over 150,000 in 2024

Germany's Federal Network Agency reports an 8% increase in scams involving fake calls, messages, and fraudulent hotlines.

The Federal Network Agency received 154,624 complaints about phone number abuse in 2024, an increase of 11,563 from the previous year.
Scams often involved fraudulent calls or messages impersonating relatives, banks, or police to deceive victims into transferring money.
Elderly individuals were frequently targeted by tactics such as the 'grandchild trick,' where scammers posed as family members in urgent need of financial help.
Other reported abuses included fake hotlines, automated calls with misleading information, and costly phone line traps.
In response, the agency deactivated approximately 6,500 phone numbers linked to fraudulent activities to curb the scams.