Two young men have been arrested in the Netherlands in connection with a credit card phishing operation. Dutch police detained a 23-year-old from Zaandam and a 21-year-old from Amsterdam on June 23, 2026. Their homes were searched, and devices believed to be used in fraudulent activities, along with luxury items and a car, were seized.
Authorities allege that the suspects operated phishing websites designed to trick victims into divulging their payment card details. While the specific methods used in this case were not detailed by police, common phishing tactics in the Netherlands include fake delivery fee texts from postal services, spoofed bank websites, and malicious QR codes. Investigators suspect the arrested individuals not only used the stolen card information themselves but also supplied it to other criminals.
The arrests come as new figures from the Dutch central bank reveal a significant rise in payment fraud. In 2025, payment fraud cases in the Netherlands increased by approximately 30% to around 658,000, with total losses reaching €198 million, a 22% jump. Card payment fraud was the most prevalent category, accounting for over half a million fraudulent transactions, a more than 25% increase from the previous year. The central bank identified phishing as the primary method criminals use to obtain card details.
Data analyzed by fraud prevention firm BioCatch, using European Banking Authority information, indicates that the Netherlands now leads all countries in the European Economic Area for digital payment fraud. The cybercrime unit of the Noord-Holland division of the Dutch police is continuing its investigation and has not ruled out further arrests in connection with the phishing operation.
This incident is part of a broader trend. In a separate case on May 19, the same police unit arrested two 23-year-old men suspected of selling "phishing panels" – pre-made kits of fake bank websites – as a phishing-as-a-service. These kits were allegedly sold via social media to fraudsters across Europe.
The impact on victims remains a significant concern. Statistics from 2024 show that only 1% of fraud victims in the Netherlands recovered their money. While about half reported the crime to their bank, only a fifth reported it to the police. This suggests that the recent arrests may represent only a fraction of the overall problem.
