AFM: over 20 percent more reports of fraud at the beginning of this year

The Financial Market Authority (AFM) received over 20 percent more reports and questions about fraud and scams in the first quarter of this year. The regulator has also noticed that scammers find new ways to take people's money. The AFM now wants to use a website to better educate the Dutch about how fraudsters and scammers work.

The AFM receives reports via the Financial Markets Complaint Desk. This often involves investment fraud, where people are tricked into investing money. Fraudsters also place fake advertisements that look like Dutch celebrities are giving investment advice. According to the AFM, the hotline has also recently received signals about new scamming methods. These include fraudsters posing as AFM employees and scamming their victims again.

Due to the increasing number of reports, the supervisory authority has set up the website checkjeaanbieder.nl. There, Dutch people can learn more about the different types of fraud and how they can protect themselves against them. They can also check whether a company they are contacting is known to the AFM.