Phone and online scams on the rise – SEPE impersonation is just one of many tactics scammers are using to steal personal data in Spain.
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There’s a new wave of scam calls making the rounds across Spain — and this time, fraudsters are pretending to be from SEPE, the country’s public employment office.
They’re calling people from numbers that look official, often starting with 800 or 807, and they sound convincing. They’ll talk about a benefit you’re supposedly entitled to or a fine that needs resolving, just to get your attention.
What they’re really after, though, is your personal information — and, in many cases, your bank details. Some even keep you talking just to run up charges, since those numbers often come with premium tariffs. And unfortunately, it’s not just one or two isolated cases. These scams are happening more often, and the people falling for them are often those who least expect it — especially the elderly or anyone unfamiliar with the way SEPE actually operates.
SEPE confirms scam calls are not from them — here’s how to tell
After a surge in reports, SEPE has now publicly warned that it never asks for personal or banking information by phone. If anyone claims to be from SEPE and asks for private details, it’s a scam — plain and simple. The only official numbers are listed on their website, and if you didn’t call them first, it’s best to hang up.
What’s particularly worrying is how sophisticated some of these scams have become. The callers often sound professional. They might reference real processes or use the kind of language you’d expect from an official body. And when someone is already under stress, waiting for a payment or worried about a sanction, it’s easy to believe them.
In some cases, people have also received text messages or even WhatsApps with links that look almost identical to SEPE’s real website. A lot of them say something like ‘You have a pending notification’ or ‘Update your information to avoid losing your payment.’ The links take you to fake pages, designed to steal your information. It’s clever — and that’s what makes it dangerous.
What to do if you receive a suspicious SEPE call or message
The most important thing is not to panic. If something feels off, trust your instincts. Don’t stay on the call. Don’t give out information. And definitely don’t click on any strange links or download anything you didn’t expect.
If you think the call might’ve been real, go to the official SEPE website and contact them directly. That way, you’ll know for sure. If you’ve already shared any personal or banking details, it’s a good idea to change your passwords right away and speak to your bank just to be safe.
This scam isn’t just limited to SEPE either. Police have reported a rise in other types of phone fraud too — messages from people pretending to be your son or daughter, urgent warnings from fake banks, and even calls from people claiming to be from the tax office or the DGT. It’s a lot to keep up with, but the one thing they all have in common is pressure. If someone’s pushing you to act fast, it’s usually a red flag.
At the end of the day, it’s okay to be suspicious. It’s better to hang up and check than to be polite and lose control of your data. So if a stranger calls you claiming to be from SEPE or sends you a link out of the blue — take a breath, think twice, and don’t be afraid to say no. That one small pause could make all the difference.
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