‘Streetwise’ Dutch consumers help cut internet financial fraud

Internet fraudsters got away with less money last year as Dutch consumers woke up to their tricks, payment organisation Belaalvereninging and the Dutch banking association said on Wednesday.

In total, fraudsters got away with €17.3m, compared with €33m in 2013 and almost €82m in 2012, news agency ANP reports.

While joint efforts by banks, police and the justice ministry to cut back on internet financial fraud have had an impact, consumers have also become streetwise, Chris Buijink, chairman of the Dutch banking association, said.

In particular efforts to stop crooks uploading software to peoples’ computers which then take money out of their accounts has been successful. This is largely due to improved bank detection systems, which slashed thefts by 90% to under €500,000.

Theft via phising – the process of finding out credit card and other information – fell from €4.7m in 2013 to €3.9m.

Skimming – plundering bank accounts using copied payment cards – also generated less money for crooks. Account holders reported losing a total of €1.3m, compared with €6.8m in 2013.