Last year, 47 million euros worth of damage was reported to the Fraud Helpdesk. That is an increase of six million euros compared to 2020. Most reports were related to fraud through online marketplaces and rogue online stores.
In second place is identity fraud. WhatsApp fraud in particular was widely reported. Advance payment fraud, such as dating fraud and fake loans where people were asked to advance money, came in third.
Especially notable was the high amount of damages due to investment fraud. It amounted to more than 19 million euros. That is an increase of 45 percent compared to 2020. In addition to investment fraud, advance payment fraud and identity fraud caused a lot of damage. Recently, the Fraud Help Desk saw a very sharp increase in reports of automated phone calls that appeared to come from the police or the Supreme Court of the Netherlands.
"In general, a healthy distrust is crucial, so stay alert when clicking on links, providing data and making payments. Remember that anyone can impersonate another person or company over the Internet and phone. Therefore, never transfer money based on a text message or phone call, but make sure you know for sure who you are dealing with," reads the Fraud Help Desk's advice.
