Beware: scammers pretending to be ECC Staff

How do the scammers operate?

The scammers pretend to be ECC or ECC-Net staff. They tell you by email or phone that your money has been recovered and is held in a Swiss bank in London. They say they can transfer the money to you if you share personal details, like your bank details or a copy of your ID or passport. They pressure you with a fake deadline and threaten to donate your money to charity if you don’t claim it in time.

To appear more trustworthy, they claim to work with organisations like the European Central Bank (ECB), financial regulators, or even Interpol. This is false. The ECC does not cooperate with these bodies to recover lost money. If someone asks for sensitive personal information by phone or email, end the contact immediately.

How to spot a fake email?

You can often recognise fake emails by certain details. Take a moment to check — it can save you a lot of trouble. Look out for:

• Fake deadlines 
  Scammers pressure you with urgent deadlines and threaten to give your money away if you don’t respond quickly.
• Fake job titles and procedures
  The email signature might show fake roles like ‘Chief Inspector of the European Consumer Rights Centre’ or mention a ‘Know Your Client (KYC)’ procedure, which the ECC does not do since it’s not a financial institution.
• Wrong names and logos
  Scammers may use incorrect names like ‘European Consumer Rights Centre’ or fake ECC or ECC-Net logos.
• Wrong communication channels
  You might be asked to contact them via WhatsApp. Do not do this. ECC Netherlands does not use WhatsApp and only contacts you if you contact us first.
• Suspicious email details 
  The sender’s name may not match the signature (e.g., ‘Andrew Werner’ in the sender field but ‘Andrew Platt’ in the signature). The email address might end with strange domains like @finguard24 instead of official ECC addresses.

The ECC never sends unsolicited emails offering services. They only email or call you if you first contact them. If you have an ongoing case with ECC Netherlands, you will only be contacted by ECC Netherlands staff, not from abroad.

What can you do?

If you receive an email and doubt its authenticity, do not reply, click on links, or open attachments. Be careful with personal information and do not share sensitive details on the phone. To avoid being scammed:

• Check the sender
  Contact the European Consumer Centre directly via their official website to verify if an email is genuine. The ECC can warn other consumers if necessary.
• Protect your data
  Handle your personal, bank, and ID details carefully. Only share these through trusted channels and when absolutely necessary.
• Use only official channels
  ECC Netherlands does not have a WhatsApp channel. We only contact you:
  • if you call us first and arrange a callback with a lawyer, or
  • if you have filled out our online form for free advice or mediation.
• Don’t pay for free services
  The ECC never asks you to pay or share payment details. Our services are always free.
• Report scams
  You can report suspicious messages to the Fraud Helpdesk (please note that their website is in Dutch) or file a police report.