As of 2025, over 10,000 incidents involving police impostors have been reported, a 300% increase from 2023.
According to NOS, a combination of call-centre schemes and in-person visits by ‘police officers’ are used to scam people out of their valuables, including jewellery and bank cards.
The increase is partially thanks to targeted investigations into the criminal groups, but is also due to the growing popularity and effectiveness of these hoaxes.
Real police don’t want your jewellery
The scams mainly target a vulnerable population: the Dutch elderly. Following a consistent pattern, a victim will receive either a letter or a call alerting them to a risk of burglary in their neighbourhood, reports NU.
The ‘officers’ will then come to the home of the victim and offer to ‘secure’ their valuables and keep them safe from this entirely fabricated threat.
READ MORE | How to avoid getting scammed as an international in the Netherlands
Before committing the crime, the culprits look up data about the victims online in order to gain their trust. For instance, a phoney officer will claim to have spoken to the person’s family member before visiting.
Some of the impostors are as young as 14 years old, reports NU. Rule of thumb: if the police officer has braces, it’s ok to be suspicious.
Fatal consequences
In general, these incidents have not led to violence. Unfortunately, however, this past August, an 80-year-old woman in Amsterdam was found dead following an altercation with two fake officers.
As NOS reports, the woman likely smelled something fishy, leading to a dispute that turned violent.
When in doubt, call it out
When asked about the best method of dealing with the issue, Dutch police say that prevention is the key.
They recommended requesting police ID, learning to identify the official police uniform, and remaining cautious, especially when being asked to hand over property. If something seems off, it’s not a bad idea to call 112.
The message seems to be, stay vigilant — and remember, cops don’t want your PIN.
Do you know someone who’s fallen victim to these scams? Let us know in the comments!
