"The police" or "a court" is calling me: the fake officer scam

The phone rings and a serious voice introduces itself as an officer of the national police, a court official or someone from the prosecutor's office. They tell you your ID or your bank account has turned up in an investigation into money laundering, drug trafficking or fraud, that there is an arrest warrant in your name, and that the only way to avoid it is to cooperate right now: by paying a "bail bond", moving your money to a "safe account" or handing over your details. It is an impersonation scam, built so that fear stops you from thinking. The key point: no police force and no court will ask you for money or passwords over the phone.

How does the fake police or fake court scam work?

The details change, but the script almost always follows the same steps:

1. The contact. A call (sometimes a recorded message asking you to "press 1 to speak to an officer"), a text or a WhatsApp message with a supposed court notice. The caller ID can be spoofed to show a number that looks official: that proves nothing.
2. The accusation. They say your identity has been used for serious crimes, that a complaint has been filed against you, or that you have an outstanding fine or summons. They often know your name, address or part of your ID number, taken from data leaks, to sound credible.
3. The pressure. They talk about immediate arrest, frozen accounts or a criminal record. They pass you to a "chief inspector", a "prosecutor" or a "judge" to add weight. They may send you documents with crests and stamps that look official.
4. The secrecy. They ask you not to hang up and not to tell anyone (not your family, not your bank), because the case is "confidential" or because "the bank is involved".
5. The payment. They ask you to transfer your savings to a "safe account" or "custody account", pay a bail or fine through an instant mobile payment app (in Spain, Bizum), buy gift cards or cryptocurrency, install a remote-access app, or read out the passwords and codes you receive by text.

There are variants with supposed Europol or Interpol agents or police from another country, or a combination with a fake bank employee who "puts you through to the police". The goal is always the same: your money or access to your accounts.

How do I know the call is fake?

Any one of these signs is enough to hang up:

• They ask for money over the phone. The police do not collect fines, bail or fees by phone, let alone through payment apps, cryptocurrency or gift cards.
• They ask for passwords, codes or your PIN. No authority needs your online banking password or the code sent to you by text.
• They threaten to arrest you if you hang up. A real investigation is not settled in one call and does not depend on you staying on the line.
• They demand secrecy, even from your family or your bank.
• They ask you to move your money to another account "to protect it". There are no police or court "safe accounts".
• They ask you to install an app or share your phone or computer screen.
• Real court communications arrive through official channels: formal notice, registered letter or the government's electronic channels, never as an urgent call demanding payment on the spot.

What do I do if they are calling me right now?

1. Hang up. You don't need to argue or explain. Hanging up on a scammer is not contempt and not a crime.
2. Give no details: no ID number, no account number, no passwords, no text codes, and don't confirm your address.
3. Don't pay or move money, even if they promise you'll get it back.
4. Verify it yourself. If you have any doubt, call the police yourself, dialling the number by hand: in Spain, the Policía Nacional (091) or the Guardia Civil (062); elsewhere, your national police's official non-emergency number. Or go to a police station. If possible, call from another phone or wait a few minutes: some scammers try to keep the line open.
5. Talk to someone you trust. Secrecy is their main weapon; saying it out loud usually breaks the spell in seconds.
6. Block and report the number, and keep screenshots or notes with the time, the number and what they said.
7. If you feel in danger, call the emergency number (112 in Spain and across the EU).

What if I already paid or gave my details?

Act fast; the first hours matter:

1. Call your bank on the official number printed on your card or shown in its app. Ask them to block cards and access, and request the recall or blocking of the transfers or payments made.
2. Change the passwords for your online banking and your email, and turn on two-step verification.
3. If you installed a remote-access app, uninstall it, disconnect the device from the internet and have it checked before using online banking on it again.
4. Keep all the evidence: receipts, screenshots of messages, numbers, the fake names they used and any documents they sent.
5. Report it as soon as possible to the police. The police report is useful for your bank and for the investigation.
6. Ask for help. In Spain, call 017, INCIBE's free and confidential cybersecurity helpline; elsewhere, your national cybersecurity agency or fraud reporting service.
7. Be wary of anyone offering to recover your money for a fee: a second scam aimed at the victims of the first is common.

You'll find more details in how to recover money from a phone scam.

Where do I report it?

• The police: in Spain, the Policía Nacional (091) or the Guardia Civil (062), at a police station with all the evidence you have; elsewhere, your local or national police. Impersonating a law enforcement officer to commit fraud is a crime.
• INCIBE 017 (Spain): free advice on cybersecurity incidents and fraud. INCIBE's Internet User Security Office (OSI) also publishes alerts about active campaigns. Outside Spain, your national cybersecurity agency plays a similar role.
• Your bank, through its official channel, if any money moved.
• The NoCall spam numbers directory, so other people recognise the number when it calls them.

Frequently asked questions

The number on the screen was the police's. How can it be fake? Scammers can fake the number you see on screen (spoofing). An official number appearing doesn't prove the police are calling. Hang up and call the official number yourself.

Can the police phone me? Yes, for example to ask you to come in and give a statement or about a complaint you filed. But they will never ask you to pay, transfer money, give passwords or keep it secret from your family or your bank. When in doubt, verify by calling them yourself.

What if I really do have a pending fine or summons? Real fines and summonses are served through official channels and paid or answered through official channels you can check yourself. Nothing real is lost by hanging up and verifying.

They called and I hung up without giving anything. Should I do anything else? Block the number, report it and warn your family, especially older relatives, who are frequent targets of this scam. If they knew your name or ID number by heart, stay alert for further attempts.

In short

Neither the police, nor a court, nor a prosecutor will demand money, passwords or secrecy from you over the phone. Faced with a call like this: hang up, don't pay, don't give details, verify by calling the police yourself and, if you've already fallen for it, call your bank and report it. NoCall can warn you about numbers already reported by other users, and every number you report in the spam numbers directory helps the next person hang up in time.