Voice of fake IT employee links Dutch criminals to Odido hack
The police believe that Dutch criminals were involved in the massive Odido hack in which the data of some 6.2 million people was stolen in February. Shortly before the hack, a Dutch-speaking man called Odido’s customer service. He posed as an Odido IT employee and phished his way into gaining access to the company’s systems, the police said on Thursday.
“This type of investigation is complex and takes time, but cybercriminals are also vulnerable and leave traces behind,” said police spokesperson Stan Duijf. “At multiple points in the investigation into the Odido hack, evidence was secured, which the investigation team has continued to work with.”
The police’s High Tech Crime Team (THTC) is conducting further investigations into the identity of this fake IT employee and other involved parties. “The investigation team strongly urges the caller to report to the police. His voice may be made public at a later date,” the police said.
The police said they found multiple “strong indications” that Dutch criminals were involved in the Odido hack, including the phone call. The investigators suspect that the perpetrators have spoken online or within their social circle about their involvement in the hack.
Therefore, there must be people out there who know more about the perpetrators. “We call on anyone who knows more to share information with the police,” Duif said.
The hacker group ShinyHunters claimed the hack. They eventually published all the stolen data online after Odido refused to pay the ransom they demanded.
