# Fake Police Call Scam in Germany: How to Spot It > In Germany, fraudsters call pretending to be police officers, Europol or a relative after an accident, and demand cash, gold or bank transfers. German police never ask for money on the phone and never collect or store valuables. Hang up immediately, call the person or authority on a number you already know, and dial 110 if anything feels wrong. - URL: https://nummernindex.de/en/spam-and-fraud/fake-police-call-scam/ - Language: en - Updated: 2026-10-19 - Publisher: Nummernindex (OnlineBuilders LLC, https://onlinebuilders.biz) Germany's police prevention service calls the shock call one of the most common scams in the country. The details change, the method does not: create fear, add time pressure, and get hold of cash, gold or jewellery. Expats are not immune. Being told your child or partner has been arrested, whether in German or English, is just as frightening when you are new to the country and unsure how its police work. ## How a fake police or shock call unfolds The police describe the classic version like this. The caller fakes an emergency, claims to be a relative or close friend and says they caused a serious or even fatal accident. Only a cash deposit or valuables will keep them out of custody. Other versions involve money for a life-saving operation. **Typical course of a shock call** 1. **Shock** A crying "relative" or a "police officer" reports an accident or arrest. 2. **Handover** A supposed officer, prosecutor or doctor takes over the call. 3. **Demand** Bail, hospital costs or safekeeping of valuables, immediately and in cash. 4. **Isolation** You are told to stay on the line and not call anyone. 5. **Pickup** A courier comes to your door to collect cash or jewellery. Source: German police crime prevention service (ProPK) The fourth step is the most manipulative. According to the police, people called on their mobile are sometimes kept on the line right up to the handover, so they cannot talk to anyone outside the situation and stay in shock. ## The variants you may meet in Germany The classic shock call is about an accident. Several variants overlap with it. ### Fake police officers The callers claim your money is no longer safe at home or at the bank, or must be checked for evidence. Then a "colleague" comes to collect it. Back in September 2025 the Bundesnetzagentur warned of a nationwide wave of calls in which fraudsters posed as police staff or bank employees and pushed people towards transfers or cash handovers. ### Europol and international police The recorded message, often in English, claims to come from Europol, a "Federal Police" or the FBI and says your identity is linked to a crime. The regulator keeps a dedicated warning about these calls. For expats they can sound plausible precisely because they come in English. ### The relative with a new number Fraudsters text from an unknown mobile number pretending to be your child. The regulator says it has helped reduce complaints about this trick by switching off several thousand numbers in recent years. It has not disappeared. ## Why these calls are convincing Emotion comes first. If you believe your child has hurt someone, you are not analysing phone numbers. Time pressure comes second: the money supposedly has to be there right now. Technology is the third element. The police say fraudsters use caller ID spoofing to display a fake number, often with the victim's own area code. Your own local prefix suggests the local police station. Our article on [caller ID spoofing in Germany](https://nummernindex.de/en/spam-and-fraud/caller-id-spoofing-germany/) explains what networks block and what they do not. One fake has been shut down. Since December 2022 German networks must cut off calls that display 110 as caller ID. According to the regulator, no call can legitimately show 110, because calls cannot be made from it. Police stations call from ordinary local numbers. ## What real German police never do Memorise these and share them with anyone in your household: - German police never ask for money over the phone. - German police never take your cash or valuables into safekeeping. - German police never send someone to collect money or jewellery. - A real officer will not object if you hang up and call the station back. Anyone at your door claiming to be police must show an official ID. The police advise that if you have the slightest doubt, you call the authority yourself, using a number you look up independently, while the visitor waits outside a locked door. ## What to do during the call The police's most important advice is the simplest: hang up immediately. It is not rude. It gives you the pause the fraudsters are desperate to prevent, because every minute of thinking makes their story weaker. Then call the person supposedly in trouble, or someone you trust, on a number you already have. Not via the redial button, and never on a number the caller gave you. If the call seemed suspicious, dial 110 and explain what happened. Share no details about savings or bank accounts on the phone. Innocent-sounding questions such as "do you keep cash at home?" are part of the preparation. If your German is limited, you can still say "Ich lege jetzt auf" (I am hanging up now) and do it. You do not owe the caller an explanation in any language. ## Prepare your household in advance The police recommend preparing mentally for such calls. It sounds trivial and it works. People who have rehearsed what they would do stay calmer when it happens. **Household agreement against shock calls** - [ ] Agree on a family code word to confirm identity on the phone - [ ] Decide: money demanded on the phone is never paid - [ ] Save key family numbers in every phone, including any landline - [ ] Check the phone directory entry: shorten or remove first names - [ ] Tell older relatives they may always hang up and call back The directory tip comes from the police too. If you appear in the German phone directory with only an initial instead of your full first name, or not at all, fraudsters find you less easily. Under section 17 of the TDDDG you can ask your provider at any time to correct or delete your entry, free of charge. ## Useful phrases to keep by the phone Write these down for anyone in your home who might answer: - "I'm hanging up and calling 110 myself." - "Tell me our family code word, or this call is over." - "I'll call my son on his own number. If this is true, he'll answer." Then hang up. No discussion. Real officers will not be offended. Fraudsters will push harder to keep you on the line, and that is how you recognise them. ## If it has already happened If you have been targeted or were close to handing something over, contact the police. Call your bank at once if you made a transfer, and block cards and online banking through the German blocking line 116 116. You can also report the displayed number to the Bundesnetzagentur so it can be switched off if appropriate. Our guide to [reporting scam calls in Germany](https://nummernindex.de/en/blocking-and-reporting/report-scam-calls-germany/) explains how. If threatening or anonymous calls keep coming, see our article on how to [trace anonymous calls](https://nummernindex.de/en/blocking-and-reporting/trace-anonymous-calls/). According to the police, changing your number is usually free for victims of phone fraud. Companies face the same psychology, for example when a fake "CEO" demands an urgent transfer. Training and processes against this kind of social engineering are part of what [cyber security](https://onlinebuilders.biz/solutions/cyber-security) providers set up for businesses. Call your partner or parents today and agree on a family code word. It takes five minutes. ## FAQ ### Would Europol or Interpol ever call me directly? Treat any such call as fraud. Germany's telecoms regulator has issued a specific warning about calls in the name of Europol and other supposed international police bodies, often with recorded messages, sometimes using terms like Federal Police or FBI. ### Can German police call from 110? No. Calls cannot be placed from 110, and police stations use their normal local numbers. Since December 2022 German networks must cut off any call that displays 110 as caller ID. ### I don't speak much German. How do I report a fake police call? Dial 110 in an emergency, even if your German is limited. For non-urgent reports, most German state police forces offer online reporting. The displayed number can also be reported to the Bundesnetzagentur. ### What if I already handed over money? Call 110 at once and report it. If you transferred money, call your bank immediately. Cards and online banking can be blocked via 116 116. Photo: Jason Jacobs from Honolulu, USA, CC BY 2.0 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:You_Rang%3F_(26494132009).jpg)