GoKawiilSwedish police enlist celebrities to urge public to hang up on scammers
Sweden's national police authority, Polisen, has launched a campaign called 'Dare to be rude' featuring four Swedish celebrities, aimed at encouraging people—especially the elderly—to be blunt or hang up when they suspect a scam call. Polisen reports fraud losses in Sweden reached 5.7 billion SEK (about $575.3 million), with phone-based scams impersonating banks, agencies or police among the most common tactics used against people over 60.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The campaign signals that Swedish authorities see politeness and deference to authority as a specific vulnerability scammers exploit, particularly among older residents raised to be accommodating. By reframing rudeness as self-protection, the initiative could shift social norms around how people respond to unsolicited calls or visits, potentially reducing losses if adopted widely, though its actual impact on fraud rates remains untested.
- Sweden's Polisen estimates fraud cost victims 5.7 billion SEK (~$575.3M).
- The campaign features celebrities urging citizens, especially elderly people, to be rude to suspected scammers.
- Common scams involve fake texts or in-person visits impersonating banks, agencies or police to pressure victims into handing over money or valuables.
CPR Call Blocker V5000 — This device plugs into a landline and automatically screens out known scam and robocall numbers before they ever reach you, which is exactly the kind of protection the Swedish anti-fraud campaign is urging elderly people to adopt. It gives users an easy way to be 'rude' to scammers without even picking up the phone, cutting off manipulative callers at the source.
See CPR Call Blocker V5000 on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: techspot.com — Rob Thubron, 2026-09-24
Published there as: “Sweden launches campaign telling people to be ruder as scammers exploit good manners”
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