Archive · 17 Nov 2025
Call Forwarding Scam Targets Users with 'Free Upgrade' Offers
Some people are pretending to give you free stuff for your phone, but they're really tricking you into turning on a special feature that lets them steal your calls.
Once they have your calls, they can pretend to be you to trick your friends or even get into your bank account.
It's important to be careful with offers that sound too good to be true and always check before saying 'yes' to anything unusual.
Scammers trick users into enabling call forwarding on their phones via 'free upgrade' offers.
Activated call forwarding allows scammers to redirect calls silently.
Scammers can access bank accounts and personal information once call forwarding is active.
Victims may also be impersonated by scammers to deceive their contacts.
The scam relies on tempting offers and specific codes to activate call forwarding.
- Who
- Scammers
- What
- Using call forwarding scam via 'free upgrade' offers to gain access to victims' devices and personal information.
- When
- Currently ongoing
- Where
- Targeting mobile device users
- Why
- To steal financial information, personal data, and potentially impersonate victims
Victims' Rights Advocates
Telecommunication Providers
Responsibility for Security
Victims' Rights Advocates
Telecommunication providers should do more to educate users and secure their systems.
Telecommunication Providers
Users have a responsibility to be cautious and verify offers before agreeing to them.
- Scam Tactic
- Enabling call forwarding on victims' devices via 'free upgrade' offers
- Scammer's Goal
- Access bank accounts, personal information, and impersonate victim
- Method of Deception
- Tempting offers, discounts, and free upgrades
- Key Tool
- Specific codes to activate call forwarding