Scammed? What now
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Scammed? What nowUpdated

I sent money after a WhatsApp message from “my child”, or shared my verification code. What now?

Do this now

Short answer

Call your bank right now on the number in your banking app or on your bank’s fraud page: the bank may be able to block the scammer’s account. Then report it to the police, because your bank needs a copy of that report to ask the recipient for your money back. If you passed on a WhatsApp code, log back in to WhatsApp with your own number straight away.

What should I do now?

  1. Call your bank now

    Call the number in your banking app or on your bank’s fraud page and say you have been scammed on WhatsApp. Give them the recipient’s account number: according to the Dutch police, the bank may be able to block that account. Also send your bank the message with the account number or payment link as soon as you can. Do not pay anything more, even if another ‘bill’ arrives.

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

  2. Save everything before you report the number

    Take screenshots of the chat, the phone number, the account number and name of the recipient, and the payment on your bank statement. Do this before you report the number in WhatsApp, because after that you can no longer see the chat. To report on Android, tap the three dots in the chat, then More, then Report. On an iPhone, tap the number and choose Report Contact. Your bank does not need the messages, but a lawyer or a judge may ask for them.

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

  3. Report it to the police

    You can report this type of fraud online at politie.nl with your DigiD. Prefer to do it in person? Call 0900-8844 to make an appointment. If your own WhatsApp account or identity was used to scam other people, you cannot report it online; call 0900-8844 as well. If you would like help, the police can come to you, for example to secure digital evidence.

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

  4. Ask your bank to claim the money back

    Once you have reported it to the police, your bank can ask the recipient to return the money through PNBF, a recall procedure the Dutch banks use after fraud. Your bank needs a copy of your police report for this. The recipient gets a letter and 21 days to repay or object. If they do not respond, your bank may then give you their name and address, with a few exceptions. This works for a bank transfer or Tikkie payment made less than 13 months ago, when both account numbers start with NL and both banks are members of the Dutch Payments Association.

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

  5. Report it to the Fraudehelpdesk

    The Fraudehelpdesk, the national fraud helpline, tells you which organisations to contact, how to limit the damage and whether you may be able to get compensation. Your report also helps warn others. You can report at any time through the form on fraudehelpdesk.nl. By phone, call 088-786 7372 on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 15:30, and on Wednesday from 13:00 to 15:30. Reports sent by e-mail are not handled.

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

  6. Shared a code? Get your WhatsApp back

    Log back in to WhatsApp with your own number and enter the 6-digit code you receive by text message or phone call. That automatically logs everyone else out; changing your password does not. If WhatsApp asks for a PIN you do not know, wait 7 days and try again. Do not report your own account before you have recovered it, because WhatsApp may then suspend it. Afterwards, log out of all linked devices and turn on two-step verification under Settings, Account.

    Source: faq.whatsapp.com (opens in a new window)

  7. Warn your family and get support

    Tell your family and friends what happened. If your account was taken over, the scammer can pretend to be you in chats and groups. Agree that you will always call each other when someone asks for money, and pick a code word. Finding it hard, or feeling ashamed? Victim Support Netherlands helps for free, and you can stay anonymous: 0900-0101.

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

Will I get my money back?

That is not certain. You approved the transfer yourself, and under Dutch law that makes it an authorised payment (Article 7:522 of the Dutch Civil Code). The bank’s duty to refund straight away applies only to payments made without your consent (Article 7:528). Veilig Bankieren, the banks’ joint information platform, puts it plainly: if you made the transfer yourself, in principle you get nothing back. The large banks’ goodwill compensation scheme covers bank helpdesk fraud only, not fraud where you approve the payment yourself. Once a transfer has gone through, only the recipient can send it back.

What can still help: your bank may be able to block the recipient’s account and, after your police report, ask for the money back through PNBF. If the recipient does not pay, you can pursue them using their name and address through a lawyer or bailiff and, if needed, the district court. Check whether your legal expenses insurance covers this. Courts usually order a money mule to repay, but even then there is no guarantee the money comes back. If a suspect is caught, you can join the criminal case as an injured party to claim your loss; that money has to come from the suspect.

A payment with iDEAL, your debit card or a credit card is not a bank transfer, so PNBF does not apply. An iDEAL payment also cannot be reversed. Ask your bank whether you can reclaim a payment made with your debit card or credit card.

Did you give away a code from your bank, and were payments made that you did not approve? Then different rules apply: in principle the bank must refund you unless you were grossly negligent (Articles 7:528 and 7:529), and the bank has to prove that (Article 7:527(2)). Call your bank immediately.

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

Can my bank reverse the transfer?

No. Once a transfer has been carried out correctly, only the recipient can send the money back. Your bank may still be able to block the recipient’s account and, after your police report, ask the recipient for the money through PNBF.

Does my bank have to pay me back?

Usually not. The legal refund duty (Article 7:528 of the Dutch Civil Code) only covers payments made without your consent, and the banks’ goodwill scheme only covers bank helpdesk fraud. Unhappy with how your bank handles your case? First complain to the bank. If it does not respond within 8 weeks, or you are not satisfied with its answer, you can go to Kifid, the Dutch complaints institute for financial services. You must do so within 3 months of the bank’s rejection or within 1 year of first raising the complaint with your bank.

Who owns the account my money went to?

Often a money mule: someone who lets their account be used and passes the money on to the scammer. Through PNBF your bank can give you their name and address. You may only use those details for civil proceedings, for example through a lawyer or bailiff. Courts usually order a money mule to repay, but there is no certainty the money comes back.

My WhatsApp was used to ask my family for money. Can I report it online?

No. If your account or identity was misused to scam others, the Dutch police say you cannot report it online. Call 0900-8844. Anyone who lost money themselves, such as your relative, can report online with DigiD.

Is a police report worth it if the police do not investigate?

Yes, says the Fraudehelpdesk. The police cannot investigate every report, but your details can be added to existing information about a suspect, and sometimes several reports are needed before the police act. Your bank also needs your report for PNBF. If a suspect is caught, you can join the criminal case to claim your loss.

I paid through a Tikkie or with iDEAL. Does that matter?

Yes. A payment request such as a Tikkie counts as a bank transfer for PNBF, so your bank can ask for that money back. A payment with iDEAL, your debit card or a credit card is not a transfer and falls outside PNBF. An iDEAL payment also cannot be reversed. Ask your bank whether you can reclaim a payment made with your debit card or credit card.

Official sources

Last checked: 27 October 2026

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