The number of incidents involving fake police officers appears to be stabilizing. Van der Velden Walda attributes this partly to extensive media attention. For example, Omroep Max and the police launched a campaign with the slogan Is it a fake officer or is it okay? Check via 112! The police provided the emergency number for this. Sybren said: We asked all dispatch centers if they have received more calls about fake officers since the campaign. Although this is not officially recorded, all dispatch centers report an increase in calls to 112. People call when they suspect a fake officer has contacted them or is at their door. That is what we want.
Use of Burgernet
Fake officers continue to victimize people. We do not call it organized crime for nothing, says the project leader. Criminals increasingly operate in one or two municipalities in the afternoon or early evening, calling as many seniors as possible simultaneously from a call center. They also have runners ready to immediately collect valuables if people fall for it. As soon as we notice this, we deploy Burgernet to warn people that fake officers are nearby. But the reality is that people still become victims. You are under enormous pressure, with someone holding you on the line and quickly someone at the door to secure the valuables.
Applying pressure
The criminals methods have changed somewhat, adds Van der Velden Walda. At first, criminals ended the fake call quickly and then a runner came to the door. Now they prefer to keep people on the line as long as possible until someone is at the door, so the pressure remains and people do not have time to think. It also prevents them from quickly calling their children or neighbors to check if the officer is legitimate.
Not only jewelry, but also bank cards
Van der Velden Walda also points to call centers criminals set up. We raided centers where fifteen callers were active. They work according to fixed scripts, with all kinds of personal data of the victim. Because that makes it seem “reliable.” Such data is traded in the criminal circuit. Recently, bank helpdesk fraud has been added. Valuables are ready to be picked up by the “police,” and victims are supposedly connected to the bank. Because there is something wrong with the bank card and we need your PIN code, people are completely ruined. I spoke at a meeting with an 82-year-old woman who had saved all her life to travel to her children abroad. She lost all her money to a fake officer. She said she was literally and figuratively left behind the geraniums and that it would be fine if she didn’t wake up tomorrow. That touched me deeply. It perfectly illustrates the impact of this crime.
Arrests
Not all fake officers succeed. In 2025, more than six hundred people were arrested for this crime, and seven hundred were referred to the Public Prosecution Service through earlier investigations. With 112 reports, we mainly catch the runners, but we try to get to the facilitators, says Van der Velden Walda. Information sharing has improved nationwide. We see connections, descriptions, share license plates, and bring investigation teams together. We are continuously working to improve intelligence and investigation.
But don’t be mistaken, concludes the police chief. 13,000 incidents with fake officers is still a lot. There are also people who found out in time and did not think reporting was necessary. And there are those who—perhaps out of shame—do not report anything. But keep reporting. Then we can track down those criminals and victims can get help from Victim Support. Even if it’s just someone to listen.