Suche
Mein Konto
Expose fraud calls: Play in Lingen clears up!
Find out how a play in Lingen helps raise awareness about telephone fraud and AI-supported deception.
Expose fraud calls: Play in Lingen clears up!
In this day and age where technology and sophisticated scams go hand in hand, awareness is of the utmost importance. A play in Lingen entitled “Just hang up!” on November 21st at 4 p.m., has set itself the task of making older people in particular aware of the dangerous telephone scams. These calls, which often begin with the alarming message: “This is the police, your daughter is the cause of a traffic accident,” are aimed at extorting large sums of money through pressure. The city of Lingen and the Emsland/County of Bentheim police station are working closely together to use this event to educate the public about the scams and to promote critical awareness.
As the Emsland/County of Bentheim police station reports, in 2023 alone over 177,000 euros and in 2024 even 238,000 euros were stolen through various forms of fraud. This includes not only shock calls and the infamous grandchild trick, but also new forms of deception using artificial intelligence (AI). In fact, voice cloning technologies are now so advanced that fraudsters are using these capabilities to dupe their victims. Journalists recently tested this using a “voice dubbing demonstrator,” which creates fake news in voices that actually sound like people we know.
Insight into the play
The play by Felix J. Mohr, staged by Tanja Weidner, addresses precisely these dangers. It is not just a performance, but a call to vigilance. Tickets for the piece cost 7 euros and are available at the Tourist Information in Lingen. After the 70-minute performance, there will be a panel discussion involving representatives of the police, city councilor Katrin Möllenkamp and director Tanja Weidner. The discussion will be moderated by Marko Schnitker, who will work with the discussants to emphasize the importance of education and critical thinking.
The technologies behind the scams are numerous. A research team working on AI reported that it is possible to reproduce realistic voice patterns using computing time and appropriate software. In 2022, for example, politician Franziska Giffey fell for an AI-generated call. Such fraud methods are highly complex, but the police assume that there are currently no extensive cases in Germany. However, the danger remains and it is time to be vigilant.
Focus on fraud prevention
The organizers of the play emphasize the importance of education to prevent fraud. With an entertaining approach, the performance aims to educate viewers about the technologies and scams and take preventive action. In a society where trust is often tested, it remains crucial to educate yourself about scammers' methods and encourage critical thinking.
The play in Lingen could turn out to be a defining moment in the fight against telephone fraud. Who knows, maybe it will make us be a little more skeptical the next time we call and just hang up.