Federal Network Agency Continues to Record Rising Complaints About Prohibited Advertising Calls

Telephone advertising is only permitted in Germany if the person called has given their prior consent. Nevertheless, the Federal Network Agency continues to receive numerous reports about unwanted calls — so-called cold calls. The authority emphasizes that it can take action against such violations with fines.

Companies that engage in unauthorized telephone advertising through "Cold Calls" face fines that can amount to 300,000 euros in the worst case. Last year, the Federal Network Agency imposed fines totaling 1.1 million euros, 0.3 million more than in 2024. The rising fines reflect a more intensive prosecution of violations.

Fines of up to 300,000 euros

According to the Network Agency, almost a third of the complaints concerned calls about prize draws. Specifically, the complaints most frequently related to calls about prize draws (just under 30 percent). Prize draws are therefore by far the most common reason for consumers to file a complaint with the supervisory authority.

Prize draws as the main reason

This was followed by calls about services such as tradesman work as well as advertising for energy suppliers. The second most common category is thus related to tradesman services — for example, unsolicited offers for renovation work. Third place is taken by advertising for energy suppliers, such as for electricity and gas tariffs.

The Federal Network Agency advises consumers to document unwanted advertising calls directly and report them to the authority. The more precise the information regarding time, caller, and content, the better the authority can take action against those responsible. A written objection to the caller also increases legal clarity.

Tradesman services and energy tariffs follow

Federal Network Agency — Number of complaints about prohibited advertising calls continues to rise. This news was broadcast on July 13, 2026 on the Deutschlandfunk program. This is a report directly from the dpa news channel.

Given the persistently high number of complaints, the Federal Network Agency faces the challenge of effectively pursuing the growing number of violations with the resources available. Observers see the rising fines as a signal that the authority is increasing pressure on dubious providers. Whether this will lead to a decline in complaints remains to be seen.