In 2018, the National Internet Scam Hotline (LMIO) received nearly 44,000 police reports. Of these, 7,200 were withdrawn. More than 13,000 involved non-prosecutionable reports. Of the 23,400 declarations that remained, about 5,100 were processed by the LMIO. This is according to figures that Minister of Justice and Security Grapperhaus sent to the House of Representatives on November 15.
Last year, 281 suspects of Internet scams were reported to the Openbaar Ministerie Office (OM). One case can contain multiple reports. Ultimately, the Prosecutor's Office disposed of 218 cases. About half of the suspects were summoned to appear in criminal court. A small proportion of them received an OM punishment order.
The other cases were dismissed, conditionally or otherwise, or added to other criminal cases against a suspect. The minister goes on to write that in addition to the criminal route, there are alternative interventions by the police, including a "stop talk. The suspect is then asked to repay victims. They can withdraw their report, thus avoiding criminal prosecution. For suspects who do not cooperate, criminal proceedings are still initiated.
View the room letter: 'Tackling Internet scams'
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