Scammers are targeting Portugal as never before

Occasional calls, supposedly from Microsoft, PayPal, your bank, etc, were a once-in-six-month occurrence. Now it's several calls each week. The scammers have upped their game and adopted local numbers that appear to be genuine. I had a call that came up as ‘Faro University Rugby Club’ (it wasn’t) and a variety of other names.

How do they do this

Scammers use various methods to obtain local Portuguese mobile numbers. One common technique is caller ID spoofing, where they manipulate the caller ID to display a local number, making it appear as though the call is coming from within Portugal. This can be particularly deceptive as it makes the call seem more legitimate.

Another method involves data breaches and leaks. Scammers can purchase lists of phone numbers from the dark web or other illicit sources. These lists often contain personal information that has been stolen from various online platforms and services.

Additionally, scammers may use automated systems to generate and dial random phone numbers within a specific range. This method, known as war dialling, allows them to reach a large number of potential victims quickly.

It’s getting worse

Call scamming in Portugal represents a significant and escalating threat, impacting a substantial portion of the population with profound consequences that extend far beyond mere financial loss. Historically, Portugal has demonstrated a notable susceptibility to digital deception, ranking as the second most affected country globally by spam and phishing in 2018, with 22% of its populace targeted by computer attack attempts. This underlying vulnerability has seemingly evolved, contributing to a continuous surge in cybercrime complaints, which reached a record 3,973 in 2024.2. These figures, however, likely represent only a fraction of the true problem, as underreporting remains a critical challenge.

Silent calls

I was mystified about so-called ‘silent calls’. They are on the increase, but what’s the purpose? I have always assumed that these were call centres who ‘feed’ numbers to operators, sometimes too quickly. I was wrong.

These calls involve no one speaking or the call dropping quickly. If returned, the number often belongs to an unsuspecting national operator customer whose number was "abusively used". The Cybercrime Office concluded that these are "exploratory" calls, intended to confirm the validity of phone numbers. This phenomenon points to a sophisticated reconnaissance phase by scammers, aimed at building or validating target lists. It indicates a systematic and organised approach to fraud, rather than purely random attempts.

Shortage of data

As can be seen from this chart, there are far too many N/A or no data available. What’s clear is that cybercrime complaints are substantially up between 2023 and 2024

Key Statistics on Mobile Call Scams and Cybercrime in Portugal (2018-2024)

Phishing emails

There is almost a deluge of these. I get fifty or more every day, all saying my password has expired. Each are worded slightly differently, but the theme is the same. They tell you that you need to confirm your password. DON’T! I personally use a programme called SpamBully and it is very effective in removing these. There are many programmes available that do the same thing, but you need them. The free programmes won’t be as effective as the paid ones.

Historically, Portugal has demonstrated a notable susceptibility to digital deception, ranking as the second most affected country globally by spam and phishing in 2018, with 22% of its populace targeted by computer attack attempts. This underlying vulnerability has seemingly evolved, contributing to a continuous surge in cybercrime complaints, which reached a record 3,973 in 2024. These figures, however, likely represent only a fraction of the true problem, as underreporting remains a critical challenge. Fraudsters in Portugal employ a diverse and increasingly sophisticated array of tactics, ranging from classic impersonation of police, government officials, and family members

It's important to be cautious of unexpected calls or messages, especially if they ask for personal information or prompt you to install applications. If you receive such a call, it's best to verify the caller's identity through official channels before taking any action.

Microsoft, PayPal, etc won’t call you

Spammers claiming to be from Microsoft or PayPal are very persuasive. They are NOT who they say they are. These companies will never, yes never, cold call you. Put the phone down! The latest ‘trick’ is a recorded message saying its from PayPal or a job offer etc. You are asked to press a key to speak to an operator. The idea is to save spammers' time; if you don’t comply, they can move on to someone more gullible. They don’t mind wasting your time, but don’t want to waste theirs.

Remember, your password is very valuable to scammers. Once into your computer or mobile, they can take control. I don’t need to tell you this, but never use the same password for everything, and never click on links you might be sent. It's simple, but many people fall for it.

Please don’t be one of them.

Resident in Portugal for 50 years, publishing and writing about Portugal since 1977. Privileged to have seen, firsthand, Portugal progress from a dictatorship (1974) into a stable democracy. 

Paul Luckman