Scammed? What now
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Scammed? What nowUpdated

I clicked a phishing link or “the bank” called: money was taken from my account. What now?

Do this now

Short answer

Call your bank now on the number in your banking app or in your own paperwork from the bank, and have your card, app or account blocked. Then report it to the police: your bank needs your police report for a goodwill payment and to reclaim money. Whether you get it back depends mainly on who made the payment: the scammer or you.

What should I do now?

  1. Call your bank straight away

    Use the number in your banking app or in your own paperwork from the bank, never a number from a message or a search engine. Say that money left your account through phishing or a fake bank employee. Have your card, app or account blocked and ask whether payments can still be stopped. Report a payment you did not approve without delay (art. 7:524 and 7:526 of the Dutch Civil Code, BW). Anything done with your card or app after you report it is not at your expense, unless you acted fraudulently yourself (art. 7:529(4) BW). The Fraud Help Desk lists the contact pages of the largest Dutch banks.

    Source: fraudehelpdesk.nl (opens in a new window)

  2. Lock the scammer out

    Did the scammer have access to your computer or phone, for example through AnyDesk or TeamViewer? Disconnect from the internet or switch the device off, as the Fraud Help Desk advises. After that, follow the order the Dutch police advise. Do not reinstall the device before you have reported the crime and the traces have been secured, because that wipes them. First have the AnyDesk or TeamViewer log data saved. Contact the police for this: if you want, officers can come to you to help secure the digital traces. Only then remove the program. Once you are sure the scammer can no longer watch, change all your usernames and passwords as soon as possible, such as those for your computer, online banking and e-mail, on a different device if you can.

    Source: politie.nl (opens in a new window)

  3. Report it to the police

    If your bank details were phished, you can report it online with DigiD. If a fake bank employee called you, report it online as telephone fraud, also with DigiD. Prefer to do it in person, or were login details other than your bank’s stolen? Call 0900-8844 for an appointment. Keep the message, the phone number, the account numbers and your statements. A goodwill payment for bank helpdesk fraud requires a police report. To ask the recipient for the money back, your bank needs a copy of it.

    Source: politie.nl (opens in a new window)

  4. Ask your bank for your money back

    Put your request in writing as well. Did the scammer make the payment with your details? Then it is an unauthorised payment, and your bank must in principle refund it by the end of the next business day (art. 7:528 BW). Did you transfer the money yourself, for example to a “safe account”? Then ask about the banks’ goodwill scheme for bank helpdesk fraud, and whether your bank can reclaim the money from the recipient through the PNBF procedure. The rules are explained below.

    Source: veiligbankieren.nl (opens in a new window)

  5. Report it to the Fraud Help Desk

    Report what happened through the online report form, which is open at any time (the form is in Dutch), or call 088-786 7372 (Mon, Tue, Thu and Fri 9:00–12:00 and 13:00–15:30, Wed 13:00–15:30). The Fraud Help Desk gives advice and uses reports to warn others. Reports sent by e-mail are not handled.

    Source: fraudehelpdesk.nl (opens in a new window)

  6. Gave away your DigiD or ID too?

    Did you also enter your DigiD on the fake site? Change your password in My DigiD straight away. If that does not work, call the DigiD helpdesk on 088 123 65 55. Check your usage history to see whether anyone else has logged in. Do you think someone is using your details to pose as you, for example because you sent a copy of your passport? Report it to the Central Identity Theft and Error Reporting Centre (CMI) on 088 900 10 00.

    Source: digid.nl (opens in a new window)

  7. Bank says no? Go to Kifid

    If you disagree with the decision, first file a complaint with your bank. If the bank gives a final no, or has not answered after 8 weeks, you can go to Kifid, the complaints institute for financial services. You can do so within 3 months of your bank’s final position, or within 1 year of first complaining to your bank. It is free for consumers. You file the complaint online through Kifid’s complaints portal (Mijn Kifid) or by post with the complaint form.

    Source: kifid.nl (opens in a new window)

Will I get my money back?

That depends on who made the payment. Did the scammer pay with your login details or your card, without your consent? Then it is an unauthorised payment (art. 7:522 BW). Your bank must refund it immediately, and no later than the end of the next business day after you report it (art. 7:528 BW). That does not apply if you acted fraudulently, deliberately or with gross negligence (art. 7:529 BW). Your bank has to prove this: the fact that your codes were used is not enough (art. 7:527 BW). Whether you were grossly negligent is something the bank decides case by case; the banks’ five uniform security rules are the yardstick it uses. One of them is keeping your codes secret.

Report it quickly: after 13 months you can no longer ask for a correction (art. 7:526 BW).

Did you transfer the money yourself, even if you were tricked? Then your bank is not legally obliged to refund it. The large banks do, however, compensate bank helpdesk fraud as a goodwill payment. The starting point is 100% if you reported it to the police, your own bank’s name or number was misused, you have some evidence of that and the account is a personal one. The bank can pay less or nothing, for example if you were compensated before, do not cooperate with its investigation or ignored clear warnings. The goodwill scheme does not cover other fraud in which you approved the payments yourself. With phishing through a fake website of your own bank, banks sometimes refund part or all of the loss.

Only the recipient can pay back a bank transfer or an iDEAL payment you made yourself. Did you transfer money yourself (including through a Tikkie payment request) to a Dutch account number, less than 13 months ago? Then, after you have reported it to the police, your bank can ask the recipient to pay it back (PNBF procedure). If the recipient does not respond within 21 days, your bank may usually give you their name and address, so you can take civil action against them yourself.

Did the scammer pay with your credit card? Report it to your card issuer and ask for the payment back, often possible in the app.

Nobody can promise you will get your money back.

Make your letter

Fill in your details and you get a letter or summary that you check and send yourself. FFCheck sends nothing and files no police report or notification for you.

Read in the Is Dit Veilig? guide how this scam works and how to recognise it next time.

Read the guide

Problem by problem, which organisation to call or e-mail: FFCheck’s Bij Wie? (Who do I contact?).

Open Bij Wie?

Living in another European country? The ffcheck.eu contact finder names the right organisation for each country.

Official help

Frequently asked questions

My bank says I was grossly negligent. Is that right?

Your bank has to prove it, with supporting evidence (art. 7:527 BW). The fact that your codes were used is not enough on its own. Ask for a written explanation. If you did not act deliberately or fraudulently, a court can limit your liability (art. 7:529(2) BW). If you disagree, complain to your bank first and then, if needed, to Kifid.

Should I report it to the police first or call my bank first?

Your bank first. The police say the same: tell your bank as soon as possible. Then file your police report. The goodwill scheme for bank helpdesk fraud requires a police report, and your bank needs a copy of it to ask the recipient for the money back.

Someone is calling to say they can recover my money. Is that real?

Be careful. Scammers also call in the name of the Fraud Help Desk, sometimes with its real number on your screen. The Fraud Help Desk never contacts you about banking matters. Hang up, give no details and install nothing. Call your bank yourself on the number in your banking app.

How long do I have to dispute a payment?

Report it to your bank without delay, and no later than 13 months after the debit (art. 7:526 BW). After that you can no longer ask for a correction, unless your bank did not give you proper information about the payment.

Where do I send the phishing message?

To the fake-message address of the bank being imitated, with the link included, so the bank can get the fake site blocked. Veilig Bankieren, the Dutch banks’ safety site, lists these addresses, such as valse-email@ing.nl and valse-email@rabobank.nl. If the message pretends to come from another company, send it to that company.

Money is now being taken by direct debit too. What do I do?

You can have a direct debit you do not agree with reversed through your bank within 56 days. Never gave a mandate, or is that period over? Report it to your bank as soon as possible. Up to 13 months after the debit you can file a report of an unauthorised direct debit.

Official sources

Last checked: 27 October 2026

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