Warning: Shock calls shake Bautzen and Görlitz – this is how you protect yourself!

Warning: Shock calls shake Bautzen and Görlitz – this is how you protect yourself!

On June 26, 2025, a worrying wave of shock calls spread in the Bautzen and Görlitz districts. The cities of Hoyerswerda, Kamenz, Weißwasser and Bautzen were particularly affected. The callers acted as criminal police or claimed that a relative was involved in a serious accident, which was said to lead to a surprising situation and urgent need for action. Deposits of between 5,000 and 130,000 euros were required, which put the victims under enormous stress. According to the police, it is important to hang up immediately when making such calls and not to hand over any money or valuables, as demanding cash or valuables over the phone is not how real officers operate. Unfortunately, scammers often come knocking in panicked situations and play on people's fears. Medienservice Sachsen reports that older people in particular are often the target of such machinations because they react more emotionally.

This scam is more current than ever, as the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) has discovered. According to a warning from May 24, 2023, such shock calls have recently been increasingly reported in which the perpetrators pose as close people. The perpetrators create pressure by pretending that financial help is urgently needed because, for example, a relative has been involved in a traffic accident. Not only are these calls emotionally draining, they are also methodically well thought out, with multiple callers often collaborating and handing off conversations to each other to increase credibility. The BKA therefore offers valuable tips: Hang up if you receive such a call and call relatives back using known numbers!

Typical methods used by fraudsters

Typical characteristics of shock calls include a whiny voice on the other end of the line and a crushing urgency that often leaves victims emotionally overwhelmed. The scammers often use intimidating tactics to get people to act quickly. In one example of a shock call, it became clear that a supposed daughter was telling about a serious car accident and asking for money for bail. Such scenarios cause many people to panic, making them far more receptive to the demands. After reports of other similar incidents, the worrying increase in crime statistics is evident: in the first half of 2022, 665 such calls were recorded in Hamburg, of which 26 led to successful scams, leaving a total loss of over one million euros. The perpetrators often operate from foreign locations, especially Poland, and work in so-called family structures to organize their criminal activities. Deutschlandfunk cites the city of Berlin as an example, where over 500 cases are underway against perpetrators in connection with such calls.

Another example of the criminal energy of such perpetrators can be seen in the current incidents in Bad Muskau and Görlitz, where, in addition to the shock calls, there was also a traffic accident and a dangerous incident with an air rifle. Here, a 78-year-old driver was slightly injured when her Opel crashed into a house wall, and in Görlitz someone fired an air rifle from a balcony without causing any injuries. These incidents highlight the concerning conditions in the region linked to the shock calls and other criminal activity.

The police are therefore calling on people to remain calm when receiving suspicious calls, to critically question the suggestions and, if in doubt, to simply hang up. A well-functioning network of information and preventative measures is needed to protect people, especially older and vulnerable people. If you or your relatives are affected by such calls, please contact the police or a victim advice center such as the “WEISSER RING” immediately on 116 006.