ScamAdviser supports Dutch Industry-wide collaboration against increasing number of scams
Industry-wide collaboration against increasing number of scams
Veiliginternetten.nl, ECP | Platform voor de InformatieSamenleving and Thuiswinkel.org are today launching the Dutch version of the ScamAdviser's 'ScamCheck' at SIDN Inspire 2022. With ScamCheck, consumers can check the chance that a website is unsafe. “We are taking an important step in supporting consumers and entrepreneurs to behave more safely on the internet,” says Esther Mieremet of Veiliginternetten.nl.
Globally, the number of reported scams has increased from 139 million to 266 million. “The Netherlands is one of the countries with the highest density of digital users in the world and is now also a digital main port of Europe. As a result, we see that security and resilience against fraud are becoming increasingly important. Fraud is moving from the physical to the online domain. This affects not only companies but increasingly more and more consumers. We are taking on our role in making the sector safer," says Marlene ten Ham, Director at Thuiswinkel.org.
“By making the tool also available in the Netherlands, we are jointly ensuring a safer internet. Consumers can check websites, while entrepreneurs can better demonstrate that their website is safe. ScamCheck works together with consumers and entrepreneurs. Anyone can provide information about the (un)reliability of a website. This is how we strengthen this tool and keep it up to date”, says Marjolijn Bonthuis of ECP | Platform voor de InformatieSamenleving.
Input is used for this from Dutch parties such as Thuiswinkel.org, the Chamber of Commerce and international parties such as Trustpilot (for reviews), Quad9 (malware), ScamAdviser (scams) and Netsweeper (including phishing). In addition, technical checks are made, such as the creation date of a website and the domain name. This gives an end result based on which ScamCheck indicates the chance that it is a safe or unsafe website.
Check reliability of websites
ScamCheck can be reached via the website of Veiliginternetten.nl. The tool allows you to directly check the probability that the website is a legitimate website. ScamAdviser is both a major source and developer of ScamCheck. ScamAdviser works with an algorithm that is constantly being improved and works on the basis of a Trust Score. A Trust Score is determined by establishing logical relationships between various data sources. For example, an online store that is just a week old and already shows 300 positive reviews in combination with other features, may be unreliable.
Today the parties involved signed a covenant for cooperation in ScamCheck at SIDN Inspire 2022. Roelof Meijer, General Manager of SIDN, embraces initiatives that contribute to the safe use of the internet. “At SIDN, we do everything we can to recognize fake websites at an early stage and take them offline. But I don't have the illusion that we can completely solve the problem with that. It is therefore also important to give consumers a tool with which they can check for themselves how reliable a website or webshop is. The ScamCheck does just that.”
On behalf of ECP | Platform voor de InformatieSamenleving signed Esther Mieremet, project leader Veiliginternetten.nl. The tool will be put into use on 26 May. During the summer, ScamCheck will be further focused on Dutch users and ECP | Platform voor de InformatieSamenleving are actively looking for new partners for ScamCheck. Interested parties can register via info@veiliginternetten.nl.
Report a Scam!
Have you fallen for a hoax, bought a fake product? Report the site and warn others!
Scam Categories
Help & Info
Popular Stories
As the influence of the internet rises, so does the prevalence of online scams. There are fraudsters making all kinds of claims to trap victims online - from fake investment opportunities to online stores - and the internet allows them to operate from any part of the world with anonymity. The ability to spot online scams is an important skill to have as the virtual world is increasingly becoming a part of every facet of our lives. The below tips will help you identify the signs which can indicate that a website could be a scam. Common Sense: Too Good To Be True When looking for goods online, a great deal can be very enticing. A Gucci bag or a new iPhone for half the price? Who wouldn’t want to grab such a deal? Scammers know this too and try to take advantage of the fact. If an online deal looks too good to be true, think twice and double-check things. The easiest way to do this is to simply check out the same product at competing websites (that you trust). If the difference in prices is huge, it might be better to double-check the rest of the website. Check Out the Social Media Links Social media is a core part of ecommerce businesses these days and consumers often expect online shops to have a social media presence. Scammers know this and often insert logos of social media sites on their websites. Scratching beneath the surface often reveals this fu
So the worst has come to pass - you realise you parted with your money too fast, and the site you used was a scam - what now? Well first of all, don’t despair!! If you think you have been scammed, the first port of call when having an issue is to simply ask for a refund. This is the first and easiest step to determine whether you are dealing with a genuine company or scammers. Sadly, getting your money back from a scammer is not as simple as just asking. If you are indeed dealing with scammers, the procedure (and chance) of getting your money back varies depending on the payment method you used. PayPal Debit card/Credit card Bank transfer Wire transfer Google Pay Bitcoin PayPal If you used PayPal, you have a strong chance of getting your money back if you were scammed. On their website, you can file a dispute within 180 calendar days of your purchase. Conditions to file a dispute: The simplest situation is that you ordered from an online store and it has not arrived. In this case this is what PayPal states: "If your order never shows up and the seller can't provide proof of shipment or delivery, you'll get a full refund. It's that simple." The scammer has sent you a completely different item. For example, you ordered a PlayStation 4, but instead received only a Playstation controller. The condition of the item was misrepresented on the product page. This could be the