Scam phone calls amount to at least €1.7 million in damage in the Netherlands

New numbers from the Fraud Helpdesk shows that English-based scam calls in the Netherlands have resulted in around €1.7 million in damage, in just one year. 🤯

Though, the actual amount is probably way higher, since research by the Fraud Helpdesk also shows that only 10% of scam victims come forward with their cases.

Scamming in the Netherlands is nothing new. Many Dutch people have been targeted by criminals posing as government organisations, attempting to get personal information.

They mainly use a method called “spoofing”, which means that they pretend to call from a certain number — usually a Dutch 06 number.

With that, it looks as though you’re getting a call from a Dutch police office or even the Supreme Court, which makes it quite hard to tell real from fake.

Reports never stop

Even though only about 10% of scam victims speak out on their cases, last week, the Fraud Helpdesk received an average of twenty reports per day. 🤯

The first reports of these types of phishing calls started in September 2021 — and since then, the total reported damage is equal to €1.7 million.

Protect your personal information

Scammers lure their victims in by posing as, for instance, the Ministry of Justice and telling them that their social security number has appeared in a drug case, writes the NOS.

After convincing them about the story, victims must ‘secure their money’ to prove they’ve got nothing to do with it. But, as we all know, they actually end up losing their money. 🤷‍♀️

Tanya Wijngaarde — Fraud Helpdesk spokesperson — explains that the techniques either involve intimidation or attempts to gain their victims’ trust. 😬

While you may be thinking: “I’d never fall for this”, there’s no denying that many people do, simply because of how manipulative scammers can be.

Tips and tricks

The Fraud Helpdesk has given out some tips to prevent future scammers from reaching their goals:

While scammers generally stick to a certain script, it’s always possible for them to attempt new ways of taking money from their victims.

So, keep an extra eye out for anyone telling you that you owe the government €70,000. Because if you did, they wouldn’t ask for the money back via a phone call.

Have you ever received one of these phone calls? Tell us about your experiences in the comments below!