The numbers look as if they belong to the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI). But the callers have nothing to do with the authorities.
On the contrary: The BSI warns of the currently rampant spoofing calls with your own phone number plus a two-digit extension – and advises you to hang up immediately.
With so-called spoofing, fraudsters pretend to be reputable authorities, companies or institutions on the phone – and want to tap sensitive or personal data of the person called. To do this, they use well-known telephone numbers, which are often only slightly changed. In the case of fake BSI calls, for example, the numbers 49 228 9582 44 or 0228 9582 44 are used, as the BSI explains. They look confusingly similar to the BSI extension numbers.
The cyber security authority warns against giving the wrong BSI callers personal data or complying with other requests. According to the BSI, it can be assumed that the calls have an “abusive background”.
Anyone who has already accepted a call from the fake BSI number should contact the BSI service center. It can be reached on 0800 274 1000.
