Although we Dutch often think we can outsmart scammers, we regularly fall into the trap. Figures of online fraud at webshops show that we fall into it more and more. Fortunately, there is a way to easily prevent this.
This year the police expect to receive more than 40,000 reports due to scams and fraud over the Internet, the Fraude Helpdesk reports. This number represents only the people who bother to report it. It is likely that the actual number is even higher.
WANT on WhatsApp
We have recently started to be featured on WhatsApp. In our channel we share the best stories, videos and exclusive content you won’t get anywhere else. Follow us here.
Scams through dubious web shops
Dutch people lose an average of 350 euros when they become victims of scams or fraud online. That is, compared to last year, an increase of 20 percent. The number of people scammed for 1,000 euros or more has even increased by 36 percent.
The main cause is that people are ordering from fraudulent web shops. In 2023, the Landelijk Meldpunt Internetoplichting (LMIO) has already taken 1,000 untrustworthy webshops offline. With the holidays just around the corner, there is a good chance that even more webshops will be taken offline.
Measures against online fraud
The painful part is that many of these frauds could have been prevented. In fact, there are several ways to check whether or not a website is fraudulent.
A first step is to look up reviews before ordering something from a particular online store for the first time. Surprisingly, only 55 percent of people do this with an unfamiliar store.
The police have a special website to check for reports or notifications regarding certain websites. This allows you to see when to be extra careful about scams or fraud.
If the price of an item seems too good to be true, it often is. Be extra careful and check carefully for fraud.