Complaints about unwanted calls and text messages keep coming to the Federal Network Agency. The reported numbers are often used by fraudsters to obtain customer data. Almost 1,500 of these numbers have now been switched off.
TECHBOOK reports every month on the most annoying spam phone numbers. But even if the telephone numbers are different, the reason for the calls is usually the same: scammers want to get the user’s personal data with alleged profits, new contracts or the like. The bots often call behind these numbers several times until they reach the desired person. It’s annoying and also illegal. For this reason, more and more people are reporting such spam calls to the Federal Network Agency. And it has been very active in the past year.
Numerous complaints about spam phone numbers at the BNetzA
In 2022 alone, the Federal Network Agency received 150,363 written complaints about unwanted spam calls or SMS. According to the authorities, this is almost the same level as in previous years (2021: 155,868 complaints). It should be noted that the number is for written complaints, so users have deliberately taken the time to write their reports about the BNetzA website to enter
“The number of consumer complaints about phone number misuse will remain at a consistently high level in 2022. The variety of topics of the complaints is still large and is constantly changing
“, says Klaus Müller, President of the Federal Network Agency. “We consistently protect consumers from illegal business models and unjustified costs.
“
Also read: How to easily find out the owner of an unknown cell phone number
As a result of the high number of complaints, the Federal Network Agency has blocked numerous spam phone numbers. Last year alone there were 1446 phone numbers, with numerous other entries in the list of blocked phone numbers being added in January 2023. The majority of these are cell phone numbers, so the person called does not immediately see which country the call is coming from, and the sender has also used the sender to send masses of spam SMS. The complete List of all blocked numbers can be viewed at the BNetzA.
With regard to the problem of unwanted calls from abroad, the legislature has now also made improvements. Since December 2022, German phone numbers may no longer be displayed for calls made from a foreign network. Calls made by mobile phone owners using their German SIM card when roaming are excluded. In order not to become criminal, companies that have previously transmitted a German number must now suppress it. the The Federal Network Agency therefore warns to be more careful with anonymous calls.
In 2022, spam calls will be more annoying than SMS
But the Federal Network Agency has not only blocked spam phone numbers, but also imposed so-called billing and collection bans on 3697 numbers, according to its own statement. This means that the victims of the spam calls cannot be billed or debited for any unjustified costs. The authority usually initiates such procedures when the hacking of routers or telephone systems generates connections that are subject to a charge and thus unlawful costs.
The statement by the Federal Network Agency is interesting that in 2022 those affected mainly complained about annoying calls. Complaints about SMS spam were the most common in the previous year. We remember: Alleged package announcements in particular caused trouble in Germany. The reason for this could have been the increased order volume during the corona lockdowns.