More than half of Dutch people (56 percent) say they immediately realize when cybercriminals try to scam them via e-mail, Internet or phone. Four in ten of those surveyed (43 percent) say without question that scammers have no chance of capturing login or personal data. This is in stark contrast to the number of victims of cybercrime and online fraud.
This is according to research by PanelWizard commissioned by ABN AMRO. The survey involved a representative sample of 1,366 Dutch people aged 18 and older.
The survey found that nearly two-thirds of men (63 percent) think they can spot a scammer immediately. How high that percentage is among women is unknown. Nearly half of respondents (48 percent) say phishing, spoofing or help desk fraud only happens to gullible people. Or among people with limited digital skills (49 percent).
According to the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) Security Monitor 2021, 17 percent of Dutch people aged 15 years or older experienced cybercrime last year. This amounts to about 2.5 million Dutch people. Most likely, this is just the tip of the iceberg: CBS calculations show that only one in five victims report it to the police.
"Of all Dutch people aged 15 years or older in 2021, more than two in three (68 percent) say they received a phone call, e-mail or other message at least once in the past 12 months that was (probably) from a scammer," the statistics agency said.
Three-quarters of Dutch people (72 percent) say they have become more distrustful because of such developments. If an organization like the Rijksoverheid, a telecom provider or bank calls, we have become a lot more skeptical. The police, financial institutions and other agencies therefore warn: don't trust it? Then hang up and call the relevant agency yourself to get redress.
The police regularly warn citizens about phishing and other criminal scams on the Internet. Earlier this year, they launched the public campaign "Digitally okay with this ABC" for this purpose. The letters ABC stand for 'Stay alert', 'Protect yourself' and 'Always check'. The bottom line is to keep a close eye on the latest digital developments, install updates quickly and not trust strangers blindly.
Initiatives such as veiliginternetten.nl, appjelinkje or checkjelinkje.nl are also raising awareness of Internet dangers. The former site gives visitors tips on how to go online in a safe and responsible way. The other initiatives show you at a glance whether a URL is a trustworthy page, or if it is a trap.
Yet far from all compatriots are aware of how cybercriminals are trying to scam them. WizardPanel's research shows that more than a third of Dutch people (37 percent) are not familiar with the phenomenon of bank helpdesk fraud. Scammers then pressure unsuspecting victims to temporarily transfer their savings to a "trustworthy" account. In reality, the money then ends up in the fraudsters' account.
Only one in 12 Dutch people (8 percent) say they do not know what phishing is.
Despite the increasing ability of the Dutch to recognize online fraud and scams, the same is not yet true of bank help desk fraud. According to the Dutch Banking Association, the financial damage resulting from bank help desk fraud amounted to 47.6 million euros in 2021. More than a third of respondents said they did not know how scammers operate in the process.
Good news is that the Dutch are increasingly taking action themselves to protect themselves from Internet criminals. Three-quarters make sure the software on their smartphone and computer is up-to-date. Two thirds say they use two-step verification. Among young people under 30, that percentage is as high as 77 percent.
As mentioned, knowledge and digital skills play an important role in the fight against cybercriminals.
Earlier this month, CBS, together with Eurostat, presented a study on the digital skills of Europeans. To study the Internet, computer and software use of European citizens, the agencies looked at five different aspects: information and digital literacy, online communication, computers and online services, privacy protection and software use.
The survey found that the Netherlands has the most citizens with good digital skills. Over three-quarters of respondents (80 percent) said they had average or above-average digital skills. A quarter of those surveyed (27 percent) said they had average computer and software skills. Just over half (52 percent) say they have more knowledge and skills. Furthermore, the Dutch are good at searching for information on the Internet and know how to kick ass online.
