Dutch police arrest six in Amsterdam fake bank scam; 14-year-old girl caught in act
In Amsterdam, police have arrested six people in an investigation into a so-called babbeltruc, a confidence scam in which criminals pretend, for example, to be police officers to trick victims into handing over money or valuables. Those arrested include a 14-year-old girl caught in the act in November and four additional suspects taken into custody Thursday, Jan. 29.
The case centers on an attempted fraud in which a woman was targeted by callers posing as bank employees and persuading victims to hand over money and jewelry for supposed “safekeeping.” Two suspects were arrested in mid-November, followed by four more arrests late last week, police said.
According to police, an unknown woman called the victim on Nov. 19, posing as a bank employee. She told the victim that a large sum of money had been fraudulently withdrawn from her bank account. The caller then asked whether there was cash and jewelry in the home and said someone would come by to “secure the items safely.”
The victim became suspicious and contacted police. Shortly afterward, a 14-year-old girl from Amsterdam arrived at the home claiming she had come to “safely secure” the money and jewelry. Officers who were already present arrested the girl on the spot. Later that same day, an 18-year-old man from Amsterdam was also arrested.
The criminal investigation continued in the following months. On Thursday, Jan. 29, police arrested four additional suspects believed to be part of the same group of scammers: a 28-year-old woman from Almere and three men from Amsterdam, ages 31, 31, and 32, according to RTL Nieuws and police statements. Another report identified the three men as being 31, 32, and 33 years old. All four remain in custody.
Police said an arrest team was deployed during the latest operation. The four newly arrested suspects are being held under strict conditions, meaning they are only allowed to have contact with their lawyers.
Authorities again warned the public about babbeltrucs, describing them as sophisticated confidence scams in which criminals attempt to steal money or valuables using deceptive stories. Perpetrators often appear trustworthy by posing as repair workers, police officers, bank employees, or home care staff.
In some cases, scammers call victims in advance, claiming irregularities have been detected, before visiting their homes. In other cases, they ring doorbells unannounced or approach people on the street, police said.
Investigators noted that such suspects often appear to operate separately, leave the scene quickly, and maintain frequent phone contact with one another. According to police, these groups may be part of larger criminal networks involving multiple people.
