Bank helpdesk fraud drops 30% in Netherlands; losses fall to €23 million
The number of people in the Netherlands who fell victim to bank helpdesk fraud dropped sharply in 2024, along with the total financial losses, according to figures released by the Dutch Banking Association (NVB). Despite the decline, the organization warned that the crime remains a persistent threat, according to De Telegraaf.
In 2024, nearly 6,900 individuals reported being scammed by criminals posing as bank employees—a 30 percent decrease compared to 2023. The total financial damage fell by 20 percent, from previous levels to nearly 23 million euros.
“This is good news,” NVB chair Medy van der Laan said in a statement. “But criminals keep inventing new tricks and excuses—some even more devious than others.”
Bank helpdesk fraud involves scammers contacting victims while pretending to be bank representatives. Victims are then tricked into revealing sensitive personal information or making financial transactions. Despite the improvements, Van der Laan stressed that consumers must remain vigilant.
The NVB said banks are increasingly working to prevent such scams through educational campaigns, often in cooperation with police, targeting vulnerable groups such as the elderly and young people. According to the association, more people are also becoming cautious, and authorities have arrested “a significant number” of fraud suspects.
Still, the tactics used by criminals are reportedly evolving. Banks say that scammers increasingly try to convince people to ignore legitimate warnings issued by real bank employees. For example, when a bank calls a customer about a suspicious transaction, a scammer may coach the victim to falsely confirm the transfer is legitimate.
The NVB warned that in such cases, banks often cannot reimburse victims out of goodwill. Customers who provide incorrect information or disregard a real bank’s warning may be ineligible for compensation.
Online platforms also play a growing role in how these scams begin. According to the NVB, many cases originate through social media, including fake advertisements. The association called on digital service providers to verify the identities of their users more thoroughly and to better screen the authenticity of financial ads.
Additionally, the NVB urged the Dutch government to make it easier to share data between platforms and authorities in order to better detect and prevent online fraud.
Last year, private banking customers received compensation for slightly less than half of the total losses resulting from helpdesk fraud.
The NVB emphasized that while phishing is on the decline, newer technologies like deepfakes are rising. “You can’t always trust a WhatsApp voice message,” the organization said, pointing to the growing complexity of cyber scams.
