(de-news.net) – Nearly 3,500 telephone numbers allegedly exploited by criminal networks have been formally deactivated in Germany. The measure was jointly announced by the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), the State Criminal Police Office, and the Office of the Attorney General in Karlsruhe. According to the authorities, there is considerable suspicion that these numbers were employed in connection with investment fraud schemes, the so‑called ‘grandchild trick,’ and impersonations of police officers designed to deceive vulnerable individuals.
The intervention is directly linked to fraudulent online platforms, which have become increasingly significant instruments of organized crime. Already in June and October of this year, approximately 2,200 illicit domains had been seized and taken offline. These websites were reportedly created to lure unsuspecting individuals into fraudulent schemes of deception. Authorities emphasized that international fraud networks frequently rent telephone numbers and telecommunications services, which are then deployed on a large scale for criminal purposes, including financial scams and impersonation tactics.
The coordinated termination of thousands of numbers constitutes a notable advance in the campaign against cyber‑enabled fraud. Officials stated that the dismantling of these communication channels is intended not only to disrupt ongoing criminal activity but also to prevent future victimization of citizens.
The operation illustrates the evolving strategies of law enforcement agencies, which are increasingly directed toward dismantling the infrastructure of fraud rather than focusing exclusively on individual perpetrators. By depriving organized crime groups of the technological tools that facilitate deception, investigators aim to curtail their operational capacity.
Investigators further confirmed that 355 Austrian landline numbers were disabled in addition to the German lines. This action was undertaken in close cooperation with the Austrian Federal Criminal Police Office, underscoring both the international scope of the investigation and the imperative of cross‑border collaboration among law enforcement agencies. The cooperation between German and Austrian authorities demonstrates that contemporary fraud schemes—often combining online platforms with conventional communication methods—are not confined by national boundaries. The joint measures highlight the necessity of international coordination in addressing the complex and adaptive nature of modern criminal enterprises.
