Police warns public about international phone scams

The Police’s Cybercrime Division has issued an urgent warning about a surge in organized phone scams originating from international numbers, mainly from Poland (+48) and the Netherlands (+31 97).

Scammers are using two primary tactics:

Wangiri (Missed Call Scams): They call briefly and hang up, hoping victims will call back, incurring high charges.

Caller ID Spoofing: Calls appear to come from banks, public authorities (e.g., police, cybercrime unit), or technical support to trick victims into revealing e-banking credentials, card details, or one-time passwords (OTPs).

Safety Tips:

Do not answer or return calls from unknown international numbers; block suspicious numbers if possible.

Never share passwords, PINs, or OTP codes—no bank or public agency will ever request these by phone or text.

Hang up immediately if you suspect a scam.

Respond cautiously to unknown callers—use “Hello?” instead of “Yes?” to avoid accidental confirmation.

Verify calls by contacting the institution directly using official phone numbers listed on their website.