What you need to know about internet or telephone scams

Scams can happen in a variety of ways. Here are some common forms:

• Fake bills: You get a (high) bill via WhatsApp or email. This bill is fake, but often looks real, so you might feel like you want to pay it.

• False notifications about an order: You get a message from a package delivery company, even though you have not ordered anything. There is often a link in the message that you have to click, but this link leads to a website where you have to give personal information.

• Fake payment requests: Scammers send payment requests via WhatsApp or websites such as Marktplaats. They pretend to be friends or sellers.

• Chantage: Criminals threaten to expose you with sensitive information. They often send an e-mail where they try to force you to pay in order to keep the information secret. For example, they claim they know you have been watching porn and ask you to pay to keep this secret.

• Threatening to block: Sometimes scammers threaten to block your internet or phone and demand money to prevent it.

• False calls from your children: Scammers pretend to be your children who have a new phone number because something happened to their phone. They say they need a lot of money because of financial problems and pressure you to transfer money quickly.

• Check the sender's e-mail address. Email addresses of scammers are often easy to spot.

• Look up the phone number of the person contacting you. You can often find out on the internet if it is a fake number.

• Do not respond to e-mails, text messages or WhatsApp messages from people you do not know. This is the case even if they are impersonating a bank or a friend or family member.

• Do not click on links in payment requests or messages about packages you did not order.

• Do not engage in blackmail. Contact the police if you are being blackmailed.

Also contact the police if you think you have been scammed. In doubt? Then call the official phone number of your bank, friend, relative or phone provider yourself to check if they have contacted you.

There are scammers who impersonate an organisation over the phone to obtain money. This is called spoofing. It is important to know how to protect yourself from this type of scam.

Do you receive an unexpected call from a company or government agency? If in doubt, hang up and call the organisation's official number yourself to verify that the call is genuine. Never give your personal information to strangers or transfer money.

Scammers may pose by phone as your bank or municipality. Watch for these signs:

• Fake phone call from your bank: Is someone asking you to transfer money or give personal information? Hang up the phone and do not call back. A bank never asks this.

• Fake call with a tape: Do you hear a tape and someone asks for money or personal information? Hang up the phone and do not call back.

• Fake call from abroad: Is an unknown number calling you from abroad and the phone only rings briefly? Ignore the call and do not call back.

Have you been scammed over the internet or phone? Then take the following steps:

• Contact your bank as soon as possible. Sometimes the bank can get your money back. They can also prevent the scammers from taking more money from your account. Make sure you have all the details of the transaction at hand, such as the amount and date.

• Report it to the police. This helps report scams and prevents others from becoming victims. Your report allows the police to investigate who the scammers are and possibly stop them. Try to share as much information as possible, such as phone numbers and details of the conversation.

• Report the scam to the Fraud help desk

  . This can only be done in Dutch. By reporting the scam, new victims may be prevented.

• Save all messages and information from the scammers. This can be useful to the police and your bank.