World · Europe · 2 hrs ago
Scammers use the 116117 patient service number to seek bank details
Scammers are posing as Germany’s 116117 patient service and calling patients to ask for financial information.
The Hesse Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians says patients have reported more such calls in recent weeks.
Callers may claim to be doctors, on-call medical services or association staff to gain trust.
They can use caller ID spoofing to show a trusted phone number, even when the call is not from that organisation.
The association says 116117 staff never ask for bank or payment details.
It advises people not to answer suspicious calls, or to say nothing and hang up; numbers 110 and 112 are protected, but 116117 says it cannot prevent its number from being spoofed.
The Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians in Hesse has warned about scam calls that appear to come from the 116117 patient service.
Callers pose as doctors, the medical on-call service or association staff and ask for sensitive information, especially bank details.
They manipulate the number displayed on the recipient’s phone, a technique known as caller ID spoofing.
The association says staff at the 116117 patient service never ask for bank or payment details.
It advises people not to answer suspicious calls, or to say nothing and hang up immediately.
- Who
- The Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians in Hesse issued the warning. Callers impersonate doctors, on-call service staff or association employees.
- What
- Scammers use a spoofed caller ID that can display the 116117 number and ask people for financial information.
- When
- Patients reported more such calls in the weeks before the warning, published on 26 October 2026.
- Where
- The calls were reported to the association in Hesse. The spoofed number may appear to be the nationwide 116117 patient service.
- Why
- The callers seek sensitive information, especially bank details.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Patients increasingly reported calls from people posing as patient service staff and asking for financial information.
The Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians in Hesse warned about the scam.
- Patient service number
- 116117
- Reported tactic
- Caller ID spoofing
- Information sought
- Bank and payment details
- Protected numbers
- 110 and 112
- Warning issued
- 26 October 2026
3 sources
What people are saying
Employees of the 116117 patient service never ask for bank or payment details.
The second-best solution: Say nothing and hang up immediately.
Therefore, the only thing that helps is to stay alert.