The Public Prosecution Service has demanded 4 years in prison for a 24-year-old man from Papendrecht suspected of skillfully scamming and defrauding mainly vulnerable elderly victims. He also possessed a gas pistol. According to the prosecutor, he posed as a bank employee and misled people, stealing valuable goods, cash, and debit cards used to raid accounts.
Investigation ‘Ekster’ began following the international cyber investigation Stargrew. This led to the shutdown of a webpage offering ready-made phishing websites offline. These sites closely resemble official bank sites, tricking unsuspecting individuals to log in after hearing from a fake bank employee about account issues. Behind the scenes, criminals monitor, enabling them to steal money. In the Stargrew investigation, a vast database containing various Dutch users was seized. The man from Papendrecht is believed to be one of those users.
Search Warrant
After the arrest, his residence was searched. Police discovered numerous chats discussing computer crime on digital storage devices. They found a large amount of so-called lead lists which he reportedly received and sent. These lists contained names, phone numbers, bank account numbers, and addresses of victims. Scripts to gain the trust of victims as a fake bank employee were also found.
Quickly and easily earning a lot of money was the aim of the suspect, at the expense of vulnerable elderly individuals.
Audio Files and Notes Reveal Method
Investigation reveals that the man from Papendrecht engaged in bank helpdesk fraud between October 2023 and April 2024. Audio files found detail his methods. “The strategy is to call the victim, inform them of suspicious activity on their accounts and once you convince them and gain their trust, you tell them someone from the bank will come to collect valuable items. Think of jewelry, cash and such, which will be stored in a bank vault for investigation.”
Additionally, police found countless notes with mysterious codes of letters and numbers, which were later revealed to be the codes given to victims over the phone, allowing the scammer, who later showed up at the door pretending to be from the bank, to ‘identify’ himself.
Cowardly Scams
According to the Public Prosecution Service, the suspect deliberately targeted vulnerable elderly victims. Three of the seven women involved in the case were well into their 90s when they were defrauded. One victim lost a painting in an expensive frame, while anothers money was used to buy an expensive iPhone, which was proudly shown off in a chat. Also, very valuable jewelry, such as wedding rings from deceased parents, were taken without a second thought. The prosecutor stated: “The suspect cleverly deceived multiple victims with accomplices, causing not only significant financial damage but also psychological harm and feelings of shame, anger, sadness, and fear. Quickly and easily earning a lot of money was the objective, at the cost of mostly vulnerable elderly individuals. The Public Prosecution Service considers this a cowardly form of fraud.”
Two victims will not witness the outcome of this case as they have passed away. The court will issue a ruling on January 22, during which the suspect will remain in custody.