Five suspects arrested for phishing scam after police officers take the bait
Five suspects of digitalized crime were arrested by the police in Vlaardingen and Rotterdam Centrum last week after police purposely fell for “phishing” attempts. This is when criminals use tricks to gain a person’s data to then rob the victim through various methods. The suspects are between 18 and 36 years old and are from Rotterdam, Dordrecht, and Almere, police reported.
Phishing often occurs through e-mails or WhatsApp messages from scammers. The messages often state that something has gone wrong with a person’s bank details or that a bank card has expired. They often send a link along with a message saying that a replacement can be sent by clicking the link.
Police officers responded to many of these types of messages in order to arrest the men. Iris, an officer dedicated to local digital crime in Vlaardingen, said that a number of the victims came to collect a bank card because there was allegedly something wrong with the victim’s bank account. The other suspects asked for jewelry. “We often see that these ‘collectors’ are part of a larger cybercrime network.”
Iris added that a few of the suspects were arrested by the doors of the victims. “They immediately stated that they had no idea why they were being stopped. The men were planning to ‘go fishing’. We actually found fishing gear in their car. Creative, but of course, we won’t fall for this.”
Police said in a statement that victims of phishing crimes often suffer from emotional damage in addition to financial issues. One 77-year-old victim has said that he does not feel safe anymore at home. “I sleep very badly. I move around for hours. You get brainwashed and cannot think logically anymore.” Another victim said that the criminals “took my dignity and trust in people.”
In December, a prevention campaign called “Selfmade? Cellmate!” was launched by police. The campaign is aimed at young people who are contemplating stepping into the world of cybercrime.
Many victims of cybercrime often never get their money back, Ruben van Well, Account Manager Public Private Partnership of the Cybercrime Team Rotterdam, said.
