Fraud and sales scams over the phone: How you can protect yourself as a consumer

Fraud and sales scams over the phone: How you can protect yourself as a consumer

According to a report by www.nw.de, explains the Bielefeld advice center of the North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Center in cooperation with the Bielefeld police about fraud and sales scams over the phone. Advertising calls without prior express consent are prohibited by law, but consumer complaints about such calls continue. Ingrid Deutmeyer, head of the Bielefeld advice center, emphasizes that such illegal calls not only put consumers under stress, but can also cause financial damage if, for example, contracts are concluded unintentionally. Markus Tomanek from the Bielefeld criminal police warns of new fraud methods over the telephone and points out that these cases are not decreasing.
The ongoing fraud attempts are resulting in financial losses for many consumers who are deceived by criminals. In order to protect yourself from being ripped off on the phone and to find out the rules when concluding contracts over the phone, the joint information event by the consumer advice center and the criminal police on December 4th, 2023 in the Bielefeld City Library offers the opportunity to receive valuable tips and information. Participation is only possible after prior registration.

Based on this information, it can be concluded that the continued misuse of telephone calls for fraudulent purposes not only unsettles consumers but can also lead to financial losses. The information event by the consumer advice center and criminal police is an important step in informing consumers about the dangers and protecting them. It is hoped that such initiatives, as well as increased law enforcement, can reduce the number of fraudulent calls. This would help protect consumers from financial harm and harassment.