Don’t Let Scammers Take You for a Ride!

The more time passes, the more we see an increasing dependence on technology and electronic communications services – including telephony, messaging, emails, and social media. There is no need to speak at length about the efficiency and convenience of using these services, as the statistics speak for themselves! These services are constantly evolving, and their usage is steadily increasing. However, alongside this rise in usage, we are unfortunately also seeing an increase in fraudulent communications – so-called “scams.”

Scams can take various forms and use different communication channels, including phone calls, SMS, emails, and online messages via apps like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger. Moreover, scammers today are using advanced tools such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and spoofing to make their fraudulent communications appear less suspicious to recipients. For example, using AI, scammers may even speak to you in fluent Maltese during a scam call.

It is worth recalling that, with regards to calls from spoofed (falsified) Maltese numbers, between November 2024 and October 2025, more than 700,000 potential scam calls have been blocked. These blocking filters protect telephony subscribers in Malta by reducing one’s risk of being exposed to scams. However, due to technical limitations, these filters cannot stop every form of fraudulent communication, and therefore vigilance remains crucial.

Against this backdrop, the Malta Communications Authority (MCA) hopes that this article will help readers protect themselves and avoid falling victim to these scams.

How Can I Protect Myself from Scams?

In the past, the MCA published some articles with useful advice on this topic, which articles are still available on the MCA website (Article 1, Article 2). The MCA takes this opportunity to remind readers of the key points to follow to protect themselves from scams:

1. Stay informed about scams and follow awareness campaigns by the MCA, police, banks, and other entities. Scammers constantly adapt their techniques and often come up with new forms of scams. Knowing about these techniques and recognising the suspicious ‘red flags’ is crucial, as this allows you to stop the communication early and to ignore the scam, significantly reducing your risk of becoming a victim.
    
2. Be vigilant! If something seems suspicious, too good to be true, or there is undue sense of urgency (e.g., someone asking for immediate payment), it’s probably a scam. It’s better to verify matters before taking action. If you’re unsure whether a call or message is a scam or a legitimate communication from a trusted entity, stop the communication and contact the entity using only their publicly advertised contact details. Remember, familiar-looking numbers or SMS Sender IDs are no guarantee that the source is legitimate, as these can be spoofed (falsified). For more information on spoofing, visit the MCA's FAQs page.
    
3. Never share sensitive information. Banks and reputable entities will never ask you for PINs, passwords, or bank details via phone, SMS, or email.
    
4. Check and verify email addresses and links. Scammers often use email addresses that are very similar to official ones to make it seem like the email is from a trusted entity. Look out for spelling mistakes or unusual domains. Does the domain part of the sender’s address exactly match the entity’s official website’s domain? If not, it may be a sign of a scam.
    
5. Don’t click on links in SMSs or emails without thinking things through, especially if you were not expecting the communication! This is especially true for links that appear different from the official website of the entity supposedly sending the message. Be cautious with shortened URLs, as these hide the true destination of the link.
    
6. Use device features like spam filters and call blockers on smartphones to add an extra layer of protection. However, be aware of their limitations and never assume they are foolproof. 

What Should You Do if You Fall Victim to a Scam?

Everyone makes mistakes. If you fall victim to a scam, the first thing to do is to immediately accept the situation and start taking the necessary steps to stop or minimise the damage:

1. Stay calm and don't let your emotions take over. Panic can lead to poor decisions and more harm.
    
2. Immediately stop all contact with the scammer. If you realise during a call that you've shared sensitive or personal information, don't try to reason with the scammer – hang up immediately. This also applies to communication by other means, such as SMSs, online messaging or email.
    
3. Contact your bank as soon as possible and check your financial accounts, especially if you shared financial information or access credentials, such as PINs and passwords. Immediately ask the bank to take the appropriate steps, such as freezing your accounts or suspending certain transactions.
    
4. Change your passwords, especially for accounts that may have been compromised (e.g. email, online banking, social media, etc.). Ideally, don't use the same device you used to communicate with the scammer, especially if you suspect you downloaded software or apps during the interaction. This is because there are some tools, like keyloggers, that can record everything you type, including new passwords.
    
5. Report the incident to the authorities, such as the police. Scams are criminal offenses and should be reported. The Cyber Crime Unit of the Malta Police Force can be contacted at (+356) 2294 2231 or via email at computer.crime@gov.mt.
    
6. Scan your device for malware or consult a technical expert if you clicked on suspicious links or installed apps. Keep in mind that if you skip this part, you might not detect all the harm that was caused to you, and possibly to third parties, via any malware (malicious apps) on your device.  For instance, the MCA is aware of cases whereby devices infected with malware were used to send scam messages to third parties, or messages towards high-tariff 'premium' numbers, without the device owner's knowledge.
    
7. Learn from the experience and inform others. Sharing your experience can help prevent others from becoming victims and may also help you emotionally.
    
8. Seek support if you continue to feel scared, angry, upset, or depressed. Don't isolate yourself – reach out to victim support organisations like the Victim Support Agency (free of charge call on '116 006') or Victim Support Malta, or also to entities that offer mental health services. 

For more advice or assistance on fraudulent communications, follow the MCA's Facebook page or contact us on customercare@mca.org.mt or (+356) 2133 6840. You can also find more detailed information on the MCA's Frequently Asked Questions page.

Click here for the Maltese version of this article.