Several police forces in Germany warned on 30 October 2026 about a telephone scam currently on the rise: criminals pose as bank employees, pressure people to act quickly and try to obtain bank cards, PINs or TANs. According to consistent statements and reports by regional broadcasters, callers’ numbers are technically manipulated to make the calls appear legitimate. In some cases, after the phone call, people have turned up at victims’ homes to collect items or accompanied them to a bank branch.
Prominent support comes from Lower Saxony regional newsrooms and local police stations reported corresponding cases, including in district of Ammerland. The Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Police reported calls in which supposed bank inspectors wanted to collect cards. Warnings about similar offences were also issued in Brandenburg and Rhineland-Palatinate warned of similar offences. Media outlets such as NDR and the Tagesschau picked up the warnings and reported on them the same day.
According to investigators, the criminals combine technical methods such as caller ID spoofing with psychological pressure. They often refer to supposed security incidents, card misuse or “urgent system checks”. Their aim is to bypass safeguards by building trust in a false claim to be from the bank. Several police headquarters say they have received specific reports, some involving considerable financial losses. There is not yet a consistent picture of suspects or gang structures; investigations are being conducted separately by region.
The Police Crime Prevention and the state police forces involved give the same advice: never hand over cards, PINs or TANs over the phone; if you receive an unexpected call, hang up and contact your own bank using a number you have found yourself and know to be genuine; if someone announces a “home visit”, do not let them in, check identification carefully and, if in doubt, contact the Polizei . Anyone affected should report the incident to the police immediately, have their cards blocked and inform their bank. Authorities say banks may be able to stop transfers if they are contacted quickly.
The advice is not new, but the latest reports point to an evolving method. A notable feature is the professional disguise, using convincing caller IDs and varying pretexts, including supposed account checks by security departments. Authorities are therefore focusing on swift public information and prevention. Regional prevention services offer support, including for relatives who want to raise older people’s awareness.
Factors lending weight to the reports include simultaneous warnings from several state police forces and documented individual cases in northern Germany, including information from Rostock. NDR and Tagesschau coverage points to a current news event; older cases are cited to illustrate the modus operandi.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).