The ABC of Scams
Types of fraud explained in simple language
There are all sorts of fraud. You might have heard of deepfake scam, shoulder surfing and purchase scams, but do you know what these words actually mean? And more importantly, do you know how to recognise these types of fraud? The ABC of Scams explains various types of fraud in simple language. It’s useful for everyone who uses the internet!
Do you know what the three most common types of fraud are?
Purchase scams, bank help desk fraud and phishing are the most common types of fraud. You don’t have to remember the names, it’s more important to recognise the tricks that scammers use. This makes you less likely to fall victim to one of their scams.
- Purchase scam: you pay online for a product that you don’t receive, and the website suddenly no longer exists
- Bank help desk fraud: fraudsters pretend to be bank employees. They ask you to transfer money to another account, claiming there’s something wrong with your account, for instance. Or they ask you to disclose your PIN or grant remote access to your computer.
- Phishing: scammers send you a message that looks very similar to one you might receive from your bank, the government or a company that you know. The message often instructs you to do something quickly, such as log in or make a payment. If you click the link, you’re redirected to a fake website and your login details are stolen. The scammers then steal money from your bank account.
Watch the video (in Dutch) on bank help desk fraud
We asked people on the street: what would you do if ‘your bank calls‘ to tell you that your money is at risk? Our ABN AMRO fraud expert gives you tips about how to avoid bank help desk fraud.
Tips on how to protect yourself and avoid fraud
- Remember that we’ll never ask you to disclose your security codes, transfer money, send us your debit card or install software. What’s more, we’ll never ask you to log in to the ABN AMRO app or Internet Banking through a link in an email or text message.
- Check links using the Dutch Checkjelinkje-app, which is recommended by the police. This app issues a warning if a link is unsecure.
- Follow the five security rules for secure banking
- Find out how scammers often set to work on the Recognising fraud page
What to do if you fall victim
- Report it to the police and always notify us about the fraud
- Check your accounts regularly for suspicious transactions and report fraud to the bank immediately, even if you’re not sure
- You should also change your passwords immediately if your personal details have been stolen
- Scan your computer, telephone or tablet with a good virus scanner to check for malware
- Gather evidence: save any information relating to the fraud, such as emails, messages and bank statements
