Dutch police warn seniors of fake‑agent and bank scams

The police in the Dutch town of Stadskanaal have issued a fresh warning after multiple incidents in which elderly residents were deceived by impostors posing as police officers or bank staff. Scammers used phone calls claiming a risk of burglary, then sent “colleagues” to the door to gain entry, sometimes demanding a security code before stealing valuables. Police spokesperson Matthijs van Houten stressed that genuine officers or bank employees never appear to seize or photograph possessions.

In a related fraud case, a resident of Zwolle lost almost €175,000 after clicking a phishing email that appeared to come from the ANWB and then speaking with someone pretending to be an ABN Amro employee. Two suspects arrested in April were denied bail and will remain in custody pending further proceedings. The fraudsters allegedly moved the money through multiple accounts and converted it into cryptocurrency. The investigation continues, with a further court hearing scheduled for 13 October.