Tackling identity fraud

Tackling identity fraud is about prevention

The focus is on prevention, because prevention is better than cure. The impact of identity fraud on victims is not only financial, but also emotional. If people or organisations fall victim to identity fraud, they need to be able to repair the damage as soon as possible.

Five-part strategy

The Government’s strategy to tackle identity fraud has 5 main parts:

1. Protection against identity fraud

   Government, businesses and the public must exercise care when dealing with personal details. Governments and businesses must use up-to-date technology to protect their systems, and alert one another to fraudsters. These are 3 ways of getting protection against identity fraud. In the future, personal data should be made useless to fraudsters. New identification technology and techniques are making this possible.

2. Reliable identity checks

   The Government wants to offer as many services as possible online. This can only happen if public authorities, like the Belastingdienst (Tax and Customs Administration) or municipal institutions, can carefully check people's identities. These checks protect people from having their identity stolen. The government is constantly improving such checks.

3. Early detection of identity fraud

   To limit the impact of identity fraud, early detection is vital. To do this, different parties must work together. This includes the Belastingdienst, the police and the Koninklijke Marechaussee (Royal Netherlands Military Constabulary). Together, they alert each other to new groups of fraudsters or new fraudulent tactics being used by criminals.

4. Fast assistance for victims of identity fraud

   Victims of identity fraud must be able to immediately cancel identity documents and debit or credit cards, and have confidence that fraudsters can’t do any more damage. Helping victims also means that the relevant organisations must work together. Victims who require additional support can contact the Centraal Meldpunt Identiteitsfraude – CMI (Central Identity Theft and Error Reporting Centre). 

5. Identity fraud as a crime

   To better target fraudsters, criminal law and other forms of law enforcement, supervision and compliance must form a cohesive whole. All conceivable forms of identity fraud are offences under the Criminal Code.