Telephone fraud: How saying yes becomes an advertising contract

Scammers try to elicit a "yes" from their victims over the phone. Then the call is incorrectly edited to appear as if the victim has agreed to an advertising contract.

This article is part of the special feature "Beware of address book scams!"

The German Association for the Protection Against Economic Crime is currently warning of a new wave of fraudulent calls , now being operated from the USA under the name "Cologne Scheme".

The business model: Those called are asked to confirm their already published company information . Anyone who answers "yes" has already lost: The call is later edited to make the "yes" sound like agreement to a new advertising contract . One variation of this method: The conversation is split into two consecutive calls . Time pressure and language barriers on the part of the recipient increase the caller's "success rate."

This scam is, of course, a criminal fraud ! In the past, numerous fraudsters operating this telephone trap have been convicted in Cologne and the surrounding area , giving the method the name "Cologne scam".

Calls from the USA

To avoid prosecution, many operating companies have relocated their headquarters and call centers abroad . In recent years, Turkey had become a major hub. Now, most calls originate from Wilmington, Delaware, USA.

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Go to the police immediately!

Those affected should immediately consider taking legal action . The consumer protection association also requests information on the companies' activities, particularly regarding legal proceedings, in order to warn other affected individuals early and mitigate damages.

The advisors at the Chambers of Crafts will be happy to help you with any legal questions!

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