Fraudehelpdesk reports fivefold increase in phishing reports

Phishing reports in the Netherlands saw a fivefold increase during the first half of 2026, according to data from the Fraudehelpdesk. Reported incidents rose from 2,776 in the same period in 2025 to over 15,000 in 2026.

Total reported damages also increased significantly, rising from approximately 26.9 million euros to 49.7 million euros. The Fraudehelpdesk notes that fraud has become more successful because criminals are using personal data obtained from previous large-scale data breaches to make their messages more convincing and personalized.

There has been a notable shift in communication channels. Email usage for phishing rose from 30 percent in early 2025 to 59 percent in early 2026, while SMS-based phishing declined. Additionally, phishing related to online booking platforms experienced an explosive growth; reports jumped from 75 in late 2024 to 1,072 in the first half of 2026, with over 90 percent of these cases involving Booking.com.