German and Austrian authorities shut down 9,304 telephone numbers used in international online investment fraud over a three-month period, according to a joint announcement by the Karlsruhe Cybercrime Center and the Baden-Württemberg State Criminal Police Office. The ongoing crackdown, designated Operation Herakles, brings the total number of disabled fraudulent lines to 13,888 since the strategy launched.
Operation Herakles Scope and Total Disconnected Lines
Investigators state that out of the 13,888 total connections severed under Operation Herakles, 13,397 are assigned to Germany and 491 belong to Austrian numbering blocks. The joint enforcement effort unites the Cybercrime Center at the General Prosecutor’s Office in Karlsruhe, the State Criminal Police Office of Baden-Württemberg, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur), and the Austrian Federal Criminal Office.
This coordinated campaign follows earlier strikes by authorities. In June and October 2025, investigators took down over 2,200 fraudulent trading domains, followed by approximately 3,500 telephone numbers in December 2025. The prosecution targets unidentified suspects accused of commercial gang-based fraud.
Modus Operandi of Cyber-Trading Crime-as-a-Service
According to BaFin’s operational analysis, online investment fraud operates as an industrial-scale mass phenomenon. Perpetrators use an outsourced model where specialized providers rent out telephone blocks as “Crime-as-a-Service” to international scam networks. Multiple criminal gangs run simultaneous campaigns using these shared numbers, with criminals posing as bank employees or investment advisors to push victims toward fraudulent trading platforms.
BaFin notes that fake platforms frequently display realistic features, including simulated live stock charts, customer support chat windows, and fabricated payout receipts. Once victims transfer funds, fraudsters often demand additional payments under the guise of mandatory taxes or release fees before any profits can be withdrawn.
Regulatory Crackdown on Telecom Providers and Registrations
To prevent criminals from simply acquiring new lines, the Federal Network Agency ordered telecommunications companies to overhaul their registration processes. Telecom operators must now enforce stricter controls on their distributors and sales partners to stop unauthorized individuals from acquiring bulk numbers. In parallel, BaFin conducts independent investigations into unauthorized financial services and supplies investigators with intelligence regarding suspicious network lines.
Official Protective Guidance for Investors
Authorities advise the public to verify whether any prospective financial or securities provider holds an official BaFin license before transferring funds. Agencies urge consumers to ignore high-pressure sales tactics, refuse to share online banking credentials or identity card copies, and immediately file a police report if they suspect they have fallen victim to a scam.
Summary of Operation Herakles Progress
- Total Blocked Numbers: 13,888 numbers disabled (13,397 in Germany, 491 in Austria).
- Recent Quarter Tally: 9,304 German telephone numbers taken offline in the latest three-month window.
- Domain Seizures: More than 2,200 fraudulent domains neutralized across previous phases in 2025.
- Core Agencies Involved: General Prosecutor’s Office Karlsruhe, State Criminal Police Office Baden-Württemberg, BKA, BaFin, Federal Network Agency, and Austrian Federal Criminal Office.