Police run more than 75 activities against online fraud in Zeeland-West-Brabant
Police and partners hold an action day on 13 October with talks, fraud-advice stands and a helpline, as the national campaign says 6,500 people a day fall victim to digital crime.
Police in Zeeland-West-Brabant are joining the national 'Echt niet vandaag' ('Really not today') campaign against digital crime with an action day on 13 October 2026. More than 75 activities are planned in the region, organised with partners including CyberConnect and PVO regio Zeeland West Brabant.
The campaign's own figures show how widespread the problem is. Nationally, 6,500 people a day are victims of digital crime.
- 6,500
- people a day fall victim to digital crime in the Netherlands
- 1 in 5
- Dutch young people were victims of online crime in 2024
- 7 in 10
- older people are afraid of becoming a victim of cybercrime
One of the larger events is 'Veilig Online: Online Fraude van A tot I' ('Safe Online: Online Fraud from A to I') on 13 October in the library in Roosendaal, also available by livestream. Experts will share knowledge on phishing, deepfakes and the misuse of personal data, and visitors get practical tips to spot and prevent online fraud.
Elsewhere in the region, police and partners will staff information stands called Phishkraam ('phishing stall') at various locations. Schools will focus on digital safety, and residents of Rucphen can call a Fraudefoon ('fraud phone') for information and advice.
Police say the day focuses especially on small and medium-sized businesses (mkb), young people and people who are less digitally skilled, such as older people and people with low literacy. Organisations can still join by running their own action in October, for example for staff or the neighbourhood.
Easy and anonymous
Rob Veenstra, an adviser on public order and safety in the northern Netherlands, says digital crime is increasingly attractive to criminals. "With a burglary you have to break into a home. With digital crime you can stay nicely anonymous behind your keyboard," he said. Common methods include messages from a supposed relative with a new number asking for urgent money, and bank helpdesk fraud, where criminals pose as bank staff to get a bank card and PIN.
Veenstra says young people are often unaware of the consequences, because it looks like easy money. "But you do get a criminal record the moment you're caught," he said. The campaign also includes education for children and young people.
mkb (midden- en kleinbedrijf)
Mkb is the Dutch collective term for small and medium-sized enterprises: businesses that are smaller than large corporations, from one-person businesses to medium-sized companies. Under the EU definition used in official statistics, these are firms with fewer than 250 employees. In the article, mkb refers to the small businesses and self-employed people the police want to reach with fraud-prevention activities, since they are a distinct target group in these campaigns.