Lithuania blocks 13.8 million fraudulent calls in first quarter of 2026

Lithuanian telecom operators blocked 13.8 million fraudulent calls from abroad in the first quarter of 2026, exceeding the total for all of 2025, according to data from the Communications Regulatory Authority (RRT).

The authority reported Thursday that blocked fraudulent text messages also surged by nearly 30 percent year-on-year to 2.12 million during the same period.

RRT Chairwoman Jūratė Šovienė warned that while operators actively filter scam calls, fraudsters are shifting tactics—targeting residents via SMS and messaging apps. Recent days have seen a sharp rise in deceptive texts containing links to fake websites designed to steal login credentials or banking details.

Most fraudulent messages originate from foreign numbers (+44, +63, +91, +212, and others), often impersonating traffic fines, e-signature renewals, or utility service alerts. Some threaten legal action for unpaid penalties.

RRT urged residents to scrutinize unsolicited SMS—even those in Lithuanian—from unknown senders. Businesses using SMS for customer communication are advised to register their sender names with mobile operators to prevent impersonation.

Since July 2023, operators have been required to verify SMS sender identities. By March 2026, only 11 companies had registered with Telia Lietuva, 8 with Tele2, and 6 with Bitė Lietuva. In Q1 2026, operators blocked over 30,400 messages with unverified sender IDs.