The Police warn of the cruelest telephone scam that returns to Spain: “Don’t be surprised to hear screams from your relative”

The Policía Nacional has warned about a new variant of telephone scam that is spreading throughout the country. The fraud begins with a call, usually from a hidden or unknown number, in which a supposed healthcare professional reports that a close relative has suffered a serious accident.

At that moment, the criminals activate the urgency component: they assure that the relative's life is in danger and that an immediate payment is necessary to continue with the treatment or medical intervention.

According to agents, the message usually follows a similar pattern: “Your child is in the operating room. We need money to save their life.”

Fake audios and psychological pressure to prevent the victim from hanging up

One of the most disturbing elements of this scam is the use of emotional manipulation techniques. Scammers may play audios in which supposed relatives are heard crying or asking for help, with the aim of reinforcing the sense of emergency.

In addition, they insist that the victim not hang up the phone or contact anyone, thus preventing them from checking if the story is real. In some cases, they even try to completely isolate the person during the call to increase the pressure.

What the Police recommend to avoid falling for the trick

The Policía Nacional insists that the key is to remain calm and always distrust this type of communication, especially if it comes from unknown or hidden numbers.

Among the main recommendations are not to hand over money or personal data under any circumstances, as well as to hang up immediately if any alarm signal is detected. They also advise not to remain isolated during the call and to contact the supposed relative directly through another channel to verify the information.

Another preventive tip is to previously establish a keyword or security question with family members whose answer only close family members know.

A fraud expanding throughout the country

Authorities recall that this modality is an evolution of the well-known "distressed son scam," which has already affected thousands of people, especially the elderly.

In some recent cases, the Police have arrested individuals who used voice recordings to simulate situations of extreme gravity and obtain money transfers. However, they warn that the investigation remains open and new victims may appear.

The National Police insists that these types of frauds rely on emotional urgency and fear, and that the best defense remains to distrust, verify, and not act under pressure.