The police on the island of Funen have issued a warning to citizens through X (formerly known as Twitter) about mysterious calls from a number identified as 12345678. The calls are coming from a device claiming to be “Ethical Police”. The police urge people not to answer the call or call back the number. The number 12345678 is not a valid Danish phone number. In Denmark, numbers starting with 12 are reserved for 3-digit short numbers such as 112 (emergency number) and 118 (directory assistance). The fact that numbers like 12345678 are not valid makes it suspicious when used in calls.
When a company calls a customer, the number displayed on the customer’s phone may be different from the actual number being called from. Companies may choose to display their main number instead of the direct number. Unfortunately, this also means that some telephony providers do not verify if the displayed number is valid and belongs to the customer, opening up the possibility of scams.
Due to the above challenges, one cannot rely on the number displayed in incoming calls to always be correct or belong to the alleged caller. If one receives a call from the “police” or “bank”, it is advisable to end the call and find the correct number on their official website to call back. If in doubt, one can call the police at 114 to confirm the call.
Citizens should be extra vigilant and skeptical of calls from numbers that do not seem trustworthy, especially numbers like 12345678 that are not valid. By following the advice of the Funen Police to ignore such calls and find the correct contact information themselves, people can avoid falling victim to potential scam attempts.