Dutch and Belgium law enforcement authorities take down criminal phishing network

Together with the Belgian law enforcement agencies, the Rotterdam Cybercrime Team has taken down a large international cybercrime network.

The investigation team from Belgium, where most of the criminal activities took place, contacted the Dutch National Police in November 2022. Soon it became clear the main perpetrators operated mostly from the Netherlands.

Besides committing large-scale phishing campaigns and trying to gain access to financial information by phone, the suspects also pretended to be a police officer or employee from the bank and approached older victims at their doors.

After committing their criminal activities, the suspects spent all the victims’ money buying luxury watches and jewelry, and partying at expensive clubs dressed in designer clothes. The authorities believe that the suspects have caused several millions of euros in damages in at least ten different European countries.

“And if this wasn’t bad enough, they also liked to share their luxurious indulgences on social media. And preferably with a photo that also featured a famous soccer player or musician, which elevated their status. In the past, it was considered ‘not done’ to rob an elderly lady. Nowadays, they’re just showboating,” Jan van der Linden, Team Leader of the Rotterdam Cybercrime Team, says in a statement.

Earlier this year, the Rotterdam Cybercrime Team launched an investigation, which led to multiple raids and searches in Zaltbommel, Almere, Amersfoort, ‘s-Hertogenbosch and Rotterdam on Tuesday December 3.

During the raids, data carriers and phones were seized, as well as a taser, designer clothes, expensive watches, jewelry and large amounts of cash. Eight suspects were arrested in total, four in the Netherlands and four in Belgium.

The suspects that were arrested in the Netherlands were arraigned last Friday. A judge ruled that three suspects will remain in custody, the fourth one was released but remains a suspect.

The people who got arrested are suspected of phishing, internet scams, tech support fraud, money laundering and participating in a criminal organization.

Besides the Dutch and Belgium police forces, Europol and Eurojust were also involved in the investigation.