Official Number Spoofed as New Vishing Cases Surge
According to a notice from the Guardia Civil in Madrid, there has been a recent spike in phone scams using “number spoofing” technology. Criminal groups use illicit techniques to make incoming calls display the real official number of the Guardia Civil’s Madrid Command (918 073 900). Due to the highly deceptive nature of the caller ID, several citizens have already been exposed to financial risks in these “vishing” (voice phishing) scams. Police issued a special anti-fraud alert this Friday regarding the issue.
Scammers Combine Psychological Intimidation with Technical Theft
Police investigations reveal that this scam network follows a highly scripted procedure. After the call is answered, the suspect first impersonates a law enforcement officer, falsely claiming the recipient is involved in a serious financial fraud case or has overdue loans. To quickly break down the victim’s psychological defenses, the scammers threaten “immediate arrest” or a “complete freeze of bank accounts and personal assets,” creating an atmosphere of extreme panic.
Once the victim is panicked and agrees to cooperate, the suspect asks to move the conversation to the instant messaging app WhatsApp. On this platform, the criminals trick the person into downloading a so-called “official technical support program.” This program is actually high-privilege remote control malware. Once installed, the scam group can directly take over the victim’s smartphone, freely accessing their photo gallery, banking apps, and, crucially, SMS verification codes to ultimately transfer funds illegally.
Law Enforcement Issues Official Response Guide
In response to this wave of phone scams, the Guardia Civil in Madrid has issued a stern warning: the caller ID displayed on your phone screen can no longer be considered absolute proof of identity. Even if the screen shows the police’s exact nine-digit number, the person on the other end could very well be a scammer operating from abroad.
Police reiterate that no government agency, law enforcement department, or commercial bank will ever call you to ask for your bank card PIN, full card number, or dynamic SMS verification codes. If you encounter phrases like “suspected of illegal activity,” “request for immediate money transfer,” or “urged to operate your account” during a call, the public should recognize these as clear red flags for a high-risk scam and hang up the phone immediately.
To ensure the safety of your personal assets, police advise citizens who encounter suspicious situations to call back and verify using an independently sourced official contact number, or to visit the nearest police station or bank branch for in-person consultation. Resolutely refuse to download any third-party applications sent by strangers.
