Five Ghanaians arrested in Amsterdam for online banking scam

The police arrested five Ghanaians in Amsterdam Zuidoost on Wednesday. They are suspected of stealing at least 40 thousand euros with online banking fraud, AT5 reports.

The police came on the suspects track after two people from The Hague reported receiving a suspicious email in March. The email looked to be from a bank telling them they had to pay a bill of over 800 euros, or fill in an online form indicating why they do not want to pay the bill. The two Hague people found it suspicious and contacted the police.

The police later found that other victims were not as lucky. They completed the online questionnaire, including their personal details. This gave the suspects access to their online banking, from which online purchases involving substantial amounts were immediately made. The damages sustained amounts to about 40 thousand euros.

The suspects - three men aged 19, 22 and 23 years and two women aged 16 and 49 - were arrested in three Zuidoost homes on Wednesday. While searching the homes, the police found and seized counterfeit credit cards, debit cards, drivers licenses and identity documents. None of these were in the names of any of the suspects.

The two women were released after questioning. The three male suspects will be arraigned on Friday.