The stories heard on the phone are changing, and the methods are becoming increasingly cunning. One time callers threaten that the phone number will be disconnected, another time that money will soon disappear from the bank account, and a third time that a loved one has gotten into trouble.
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We talk about why people still fall into these traps, what scenarios scammers use most often, and what signs should immediately alert you, with Linas Marcinkevičius, Head of Credit and Risk Control at Tele2.
– Why do phone scammers still thrive, even though they are constantly talked about?
– Apparently, we still don’t talk enough. But seriously, scammers are constantly improving, applying additional measures to gain trust, for example, correct Lithuanian message text or a message recorded in Lithuanian at the beginning of a call. Fakes created with artificial intelligence are also becoming difficult to recognize even for an experienced eye.
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People are more easily caught by scammers when they are worried, in a hurry, poorly rested, in short, when their attention is directed elsewhere. Those who are constantly interested in technological innovations, read, and learn – thus increasing their critical thinking and emotional resilience, and are therefore likely to become less vulnerable. However, situations where scammers will press your sensitive “buttons” and you will lose vigilance for a moment can happen to anyone.
– What scenarios do phone scammers use most often?
– Currently, we most often see scenarios used by scammers where the client supposedly has problems with their phone number contract and the number will be disconnected, or the story is used that there are problems with the bank account. The motive of relatives in trouble is still popular, and we also hear about registration at the polyclinic, electricity meter checks, etc. Long-used scenarios also remain – calls from the police or tax inspectorate. Scammers also use current events that arise at specific times, such as at the end of April, when it is time to declare income, impersonations of the State Tax Inspectorate (VMI) increase. Or manipulations regarding the withdrawal or investment of the II pension pillar appear.
– How do scammers make people confused and make hasty decisions?
– It is very important for scammers to cause stress so that they can manipulate the conversation and convince the victim to perform the actions required by the scammers – i.e., to reveal their bank account login details. It is also very important for scammers that the potential victim does not hang up the phone, so they resort to very relevant scenarios, for example, that the number will stop working or that the money in the bank account will disappear. So even if the scam scenarios themselves change or newer technologies are used, one of the most telling signs of scammers is endless rushing and urging not to hang up. Such pressure should always be viewed with suspicion.
– Why do people often trust a voice on the phone more than a message or an email?
– When talking on the phone, there is less time to comprehend, and if the scammer manages to cause stress – they can manipulate the received information and force the victim to follow their instructions. Scammers have certain psychological tricks to influence us. Meanwhile, upon receiving a letter, even if it sounds threatening, we have time to think, perhaps show it to someone and consult, or even call the institution ourselves or search for information online.
– What signs reveal that a scammer is calling?
– A call from a non-Lithuanian number (why, for example, would a polyclinic call you from a Polish number?), a conversation in Russian, because the client supposedly marked it somewhere, speaking in general phrases, the scammer will never accurately state the terms of your mobile communication plan. Also, the aforementioned rushing and pressure to make a decision here and now.
– Are scammers today already able to convincingly impersonate the voices of banks, police, or relatives?
– With artificial intelligence, this becomes possible. I have heard about such attempts, but it is not yet widely used.
– How dangerous do AI-generated voices become?
– The biggest danger here is for large-scale scams involving larger companies or the spread of disinformation, for example, by using the voice of some public figure to announce false news. We do not have reports from our clients of scam cases using altered voices. This method requires more in-depth research and information gathering about a specific person. Meanwhile, scammers calling residents use methods that are suitable for large numbers of people.
– Can you trust a number if it looks Lithuanian or familiar?
– I can quite confidently say that the joint Lithuanian mobile operator fraudulent call blocking system, launched at the end of last year and later perfected, works perfectly today. In Q1 2026, almost 14 million fraudulent calls were blocked, and we see only isolated “slipping through” fraudulent calls with a Lithuanian number. Currently, scammers mostly use Latvian, Estonian, and Polish numbers.
– Why shouldn’t you reveal even “innocent” personal data over the phone?
– Scammers definitely have databases of who to call. The more data associated with the victim’s number, the more convincing a situation the scammer can create. I’m talking about very simple personal data, such as name, place of residence, age, hobbies, etc. They collect and combine this data. If you receive a scam call, you should not reveal anything about yourself or share any data.
– What mistakes do people most often make during a conversation?
– Apart from giving away bank login details, it is also dangerous to reveal your “innocent” data. Scammers try to ask open-ended questions so that the victim themselves provides information about themselves or their relatives, e.g., the scammer says “your grandson was in an accident…”, the victim clarifies – “is it Dariukas..?” thus the victim reveals the information needed by the scammer for further conversation. I would recommend that if you have the slightest doubt that the call is fraudulent – hang up and discuss the situation with your relatives, and also report it to the responsible authorities – the police, NKSC.
The Media Support Fund allocated 110,000 euros in partial funding for the project “Code of Resilience”.
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