Outdated browser

You are using an outdated browser. DNB.nl works best with:

Twee hackers die proberen geld te stelen door nepsites te maken en phishing mails te sturen

Tips to spot fake websites and phishing emails

Scammers try to steal your money in many different ways. They might lure you to a fake website or trick you into providing log-in details. Never reply to their messages, but contact your bank. Below we provide tips to spot fake websites and phishing attempts.

How to spot a fake website

If you are unsure whether a website is legitimate, first check that the bank's web address (URL) is correct. To do so,

  • check if it is complete. It should always start with "https://". If the letter "s" is missing, or if you don't see a padlock in the address bar, it is a spoofed - or fake - website.
Illustratie phishing
  • Also check that the name of your bank in the web address is spelled correctly.
  • If you are unsure, do not respond, leave the website and contact your bank. Do not use the website's contact details, as fake sites contain incorrect information.
  • Go to the Dutch-language website checkjelinkje.nl (“check your link”) to check whether the website is really your bank’s.

What is phishing?

Phishing schemes often use spoofing techniques to obtain your information. They use your personal details to make money or to steal your money. Phishing scams come in many shapes and forms: 

  • An email or letter. Scammers will use your bank's logo and tell you to go to your bank's website immediately, for example, to prevent your account from being blocked. A link or QR code will take you to a spoofed website that looks exactly like your bank's. They will ask you to type in your login codes.
  • A phone call or a text or chat message, e.g. WhatsApp. Under false pretense, scammers will ask for your details and login code. Or they may ask you to transfer your money to a safer bank account.

If you ever get fake emails, apps, text messages or a suspicious phone call from your bank, never respond, but contact your bank immediately.

Up-to-date alerts in Dutch are available on the website of the Dutch national anti-fraud hotline (Fraudehelpdesk).

How to spot a fake email

These tips will help you spot fake emails. The following features should make you wary of an email you receive:

  • In the sender's email address, the name after the @ sign is different from that of your bank.
  • The email is not addressed to you personally.
  • The sender asks you to do something immediately or else things will go wrong or you might miss out on an opportunity.
  • You are being asked to enter your login details after clicking a link or scanning a QR code.
  • The email has a ZIP or RAR file attached.
  • The email contains a link to a website that is not your bank’s. Therefore, always check the web address. Hover over the link, but do not click on it. This will display the full web address, possibly at the bottom of your screen. Also check out the tips to spot fake websites if you are unsure whether the address is real.
  • Your bank's contact details are incorrect. You can check this on your bank's real website.
  • The email has spelling errors.

How to spot fake phone calls, chat messages or texts

Someone will pretend to be a bank employee. You may even see the number or name of your bank on the screen. Here's how to recognise these fake calls. You are told to:

  • immediately transfer money
  • state your PIN or login details

Your bank will never ask you to do this. Delete the text or chat message. Or take a picture or screenshot of the message first and contact your bank. End the phone call or say that you will call back later on the bank's general number.  

Never act on suspicious messages from your bank

If you are suspicious, simply do not respond. This means you should:

  • not provide any personal information
  • not transfer money to a “safe” or "escrow” account
  • not open attachments or click on links
  • report to your bank that you have received a suspicious message.

Check the website of the Dutch national anti-fraud hotline (Fraudehelpdesk) for warnings of phishing or spoofing scams.

Suspicious messages from DNB

On a regular basis, scammers send out emails, texts or Whatsapp messages in our name or in the name of DNB Executive Board Members to trick you into giving them personal data, your bank account number or log-in codes so they can steal your money. Likewise, they misuse our name and logo in messages they send in the name of other organisations. Or they mention the name or one of our Executive Board Members.              

Watch out for a fake email  in Dutch containing the name and fake signature of Executive Board Member Olaf Sleijpen. Scammers want you to scan a QR code to obtain "3D secure security". Do not respond.

If you get suspicious emails in the name of DNB or a DNB Executive Board Member, please report them to us at valse-email@dnb.nl. For more information please visit our website: Suspicious email, text message or Whatsapp chat.

What if you did respond to a phishing message?

Take immediate action: contact your bank immediately to have your debit or credit cards blocked. If you have lost any money, report it to the police. You can also contact the Dutch national anti-fraud hotline  (Fraudehelpdesk).

More information

For more information, go to www.veiligbankieren.nl. This is a Dutch-language website provided by the Dutch Banking Association. Or check out the website of the Dutch national anti-fraud hotline    (Fraudehelpdesk) or the government’ s Dutch-language veiliginternetten.nl website.

De Nederlandsche Bank supervises banks in the Netherlands. For more information about our supervision, go to Supervision of financial institutions.

Discover related articles