Telephone scams have become more common in Sweden recently. A large number use so-called spoofing, which means that phone numbers are falsified and make it look like the call is coming from someone other than it actually is. Spoofing is often used as part of an attempt to trick someone with personal information that can be used for a fraudulent purpose.
Guideline for telecom operators
PTS has published a guideline that aims to prevent scam calls from abroad that appear to come from a Swedish caller. By stopping these calls, the operators can prevent a large part of the fraud attempts made over the phone. The guideline is based on that Swedish telephone numbers should be used in Sweden.
Broadly speaking, the focus of the guideline is as follows:
- Operators can stop calls with Swedish landline numbers that come in via an international interface.
- Operators can stop Swedish mobile numbers coming in via an international interface, after checking that the subscriber is not using a Swedish subscription abroad.
- In some specific cases, it may be relevant to block the caller identification instead of stopping the call.
Binding rules replace the guideline in 2024
We are developing regulations based on the guideline and expect that they can come into force in 2024. This means that the guideline will be replaced by binding rules.
Never give out sensitive information and report suspected crimes to the police
Be aware of numbers you don't recognize and always take the safe side before the unsafe. Hang up if you do not know who is calling you and never give out sensitive information such as passwords, card details or personal information. Contact your bank immediately and report to the police if you suspect that you have been the victim of fraud.