The GNR (National Republican Guard) recorded 193 fraud crimes committed by fake officials between January 2024 and May 31, 2026
Porto, Lisbon and highest in scams involving fake police officers and inspectors from ASEA and Judicial police
The GNR (National Republican Guard) recorded 193 fraud crimes committed by fake officials between January 2024 and May 31, 2026, the authority informs in a statement, explaining that “the suspects impersonate members of the security forces or inspectors of public entities to deceive citizens and merchants, resorting to intimidation, psychological manipulation and technologies that allow them to falsify the telephone numbers presented to the victims”.
The data reveals a worrying trend: after 69 cases in 2024 and 76 in 2025, 48 occurrences have already been recorded in the first five months of 2026.
Impersonating officials is one of the main strategies used by fraudsters. Fake inspectors from the Food and Economic Security Authority (ASAE) are associated with 69 incidents, while individuals posing as inspectors from the Judiciary Police (PJ) are responsible for 67 registered cases of this type of crime.
Next are scams perpetrated by individuals posing as members of the Public Security Police (PSP), with 22 occurrences, and by individuals presenting themselves as members of the National Republican Guard (GNR), with 17 cases. Other approaches, related to alleged orders, loans, and various forms of coercion, total 18 occurrences.
In cases involving ASAE (Portuguese Food Safety and Economic Authority), suspects threaten inspections, infractions, and high fines, then propose the immediate payment of a supposedly reduced fine to avoid legal consequences.
In these fraudulent investigations, criminals claim that victims are involved in serious crimes, money laundering, or cyberattacks. Under the pretext of protecting their money, they convince them to transfer their savings to alleged safe-haven accounts.
Fraudsters are able to impersonate the phone numbers of authorities.
The telephone and mobile phone are the main means of contact used in this type of crime, having been identified in 142 of the 193 occurrences.
To reinforce the credibility of calls, suspects frequently resort to caller ID spoofing , a technique that allows them to manipulate the number displayed on the recipient’s screen. In this way, the victim can see the real public number of a GNR (National Republican Guard) station, a PSP (Public Security Police) station, or a PJ (Judicial Police) department, even though the call was not made by those entities.
During these contacts, the authors often adopt a formal, brusque, and authoritarian stance, creating an atmosphere of urgency that makes it difficult to verify the information.
The goal is to prevent the victim from hanging up, trying to confirm the facts, or contacting the authorities directly through official channels.
Another identified method involves false accident alerts. In these cases, scammers contact citizens, particularly older people, claiming that a close relative has caused a serious accident or has been arrested. The call ends with a demand for immediate payment for supposed compensation or to resolve the situation.
Porto, Lisbon and Setúbal have the highest concentration of incidents.
The geographical distribution of crimes places the Porto district in first position, with 33 occurrences, followed by Lisbon, with 23, and Setúbal, with 18.
Regarding the locations chosen to approach the victims, private residences are the most frequent setting, with 88 cases. Commercial and restaurant establishments come in second place, with 56 occurrences. There were also 30 approaches recorded in public streets, nine of which occurred in 2026.
Temporal analysis indicates that fraudsters favor daytime hours: 74 crimes occurred during the morning and 72 during the afternoon. Thursday was the day of the week with the most occurrences, accounting for 45 cases, followed by Friday, with 33.
Among the 172 identified victims, those aged between 51 and 64 stand out, representing 49 cases. This is followed by victims between 41 and 50 years old, with 33 recorded cases.
Given the evolution of this type of crime, the GNR (National Republican Guard) advises the public to be wary of unexpected contacts demanding immediate payments, personal data, or banking information.
The National Republican Guard (GNR) emphasizes that citizens should not make transfers or provide confidential data over the phone based on alleged inspections, investigations, or family emergencies, and also recommends that formal identification of agents be requested and that information be confirmed through the official contacts of the entities involved.
Even when the number displayed on the screen appears legitimate, the call should not be considered proof of the identity of the person on the other end of the line.
In situations involving alleged fines or penalties, citizens should be wary of offers of discounts in exchange for immediate payment by telephone or through digital means, and if they suspect an attempted scam, they should hang up and contact the authorities directly through official channels.
The GNR (National Republican Guard) also appeals for the reporting of these situations, even when the attempt does not result in financial loss. Whenever possible, relevant information should be preserved, such as phone numbers, messages, proof of payment, and other elements that may help in the investigation.