Alarming calls! How to escape telephone terror!

Alarming calls! How to escape telephone terror!

In recent weeks, many citizens have reported an increasing number of fraudulent phone calls that allegedly come from “Sarah from Amazon”. These calls are part of a perfidious scam in which the perpetrators use caller ID spoofing to hide their real number. According to reporting by 5min.at, the callers aim to steal personal data or pressure those attacked to make transfers. You often hear the sentence: "Hi, I'm Sarah from Amazon. How are you today?" The scam is not limited to Amazon; calls pretending to be “PayPal” are also very popular. Such calls are usually distributed from apparently Austrian or German telephone numbers.

Fraud and telephone terrorism

But it's not just the fraudsters' scams that are causing a stir, but also the general telephone terror, which is causing problems for more and more people, as anwalt.org informs. Telephone terrorism describes the systematic harassment caused by unwanted calls, be it from call centers or private individuals. While spam calls are often perceived as annoying, systematic telephone terror can have serious consequences for those affected and result in criminal offenses. Certain callers, including ex-partners, may consciously attempt to bully their victims, which can increase psychological pressure on those affected.

Affected people have various legal options to take action against telephone terrorism. Users can block calls if the number is displayed or inform the police and the Federal Network Agency in order to stop the harassers. The laws also offer penalties for unfair advertising, with companies without consent facing a fine of up to 300,000 euros. In addition, private individuals who suffer from telephone terror can report it as stalking, which can lead to fines or even imprisonment.