This page is intended as a blog with the latest information for victims of Bunq bank account fraud. The latest news can be found at the top. Watch here the broadcast of Kassa about fraud at Bunq Listen here to the podcast “The robbed customers of Bunq” of NOS

June 14: Bunq’s new security measures

Meanwhile, the new package of measures introduced by Bunq to control the frauds is known in more detail. An overview can be found here. Bunq itself does not mention the date of implementation (June 7, 2024), but this date is obviously very important: a lot of the frauds we are dealing with could have been prevented if the measures had been introduced earlier.

June 9, 2024: Extent of damage EUR 3,338,036

Over the past weekend, there were several letters or comments on social media and in national newspapers from individuals who believe the damage amount from fraud at Bunq is lower than previously thought or reported by the media. Because we receive many calls from journalists asking for the numbers, we list below what is known to us:

  • total number of victims known to us: 66
  • total damages suffered: EUR 3,338,037 (status as of June 7, 2024)
  • average damage amount per person: EUR 50,576

June 7, 2024: Bunq improves security!

NOS reports that Bunq has taken security measures to improve security. In certain cases, payments are deferred. The finance minister has been in contact with Bunq founder Ali Niknam and with regulators AFM and DNB “who are closely following the reporting,” according to NIS. Clearly, Bunq has been forced to introduce these measures. Note: these measures would have prevented injury in almost all cases, had the measure been introduced earlier! About the reimbursement policy, NOS writes: The majority of people who lost their money did not see a penny of it back until now.

June 6, 2024: new email address

Today we launched a new email address for Bunq fraud cases:
bunqfraude@hupkesadvocaten.nl

June 5, 2024: Minister: Ali Niknam statements are inappropriate

Finance Minister Van Weyenberg responded to the following statement by Bunq director Niknam: “It’s like giving someone your car keys outside on the street. Then your car is gone.” The Minister considers this statement inappropriate: “I want to have said here that I thought that statement was completely inappropriate. (….) This really does not do justice to the situation where people do something with very shrewd fraud methods.” The minister went on to say that he has discussed with the AFM measures banks should take to prevent or make fraud more difficult. In response to the Minister’s contact, Bunq revealed that it plans to act “in the spirit” of the goodwill framework. Attorney note: We do not see the latter in our ongoing cases, it remains very difficult to get a response from Bunq. We await multiple responses in the pending cases. Read the article here

May 31, 2024: mostly involves bank help desk fraud

Most cases of fraud at Bunq are of the “bank help desk fraud” type. We are investigating a new variant where the fraudster has added an unknown person in the app’s address book. In doing so, the fraudster suggests that money is being funneled away. Read more about bank help desk fraud here.

May 29, 30 and 31, 2024: sending proposal by email

Notified victims will receive a plan of action for a class action against Bunq in the coming days. Have you approached us but not received a proposal? We have received many new applications this week so we are running behind, you will hear as soon as possible.

May 29, 2024: misuse facial recognition?

In a video, security expert Maria Genova explains how criminals use facial recognition via an illegal tool. Existing photos of fraud victims that are on the Internet are scanned in, and the app can then be operated with them, Genova said. Watch the video at “Hart van Nederland” here. Attorney’s Note: If this can be shown, then there are unauthorized payment transactions, which makes a difference under the law (the law then assumes an obligation to pay compensation).

May 28, 2024: Evaluation of applications

Over 50 claims have been reported to our office to date with a total claim amount of EUR 2,500,000 or a claim of EUR 50,000 per person on average. Haven’t registered your case yet? You can still do so at support@hupkesadvocaten.nl.

May 28, 2024: “Most banks compensate for damages, Bunq does not” – Customerfirst

According to Joyce Donat of the Consumers’ Association, Bunq sets additional terms and conditions that are very strict, which in practice means that damages from help desk fraud are almost never compensated. In doing so, Bunq is experiencing some “weird stuff,” Donat said. The bank lacks some security measures that other banks have. For example, money can be transferred directly from a savings account to someone else. In addition, some customers set a limit, but criminals turned out to be able to transfer more anyway. ‘At Bunq, a very strange transaction apparently doesn’t ring a bell.’ Read the article here on Customerfirst Note : We also see in practice that Bunq does not commit itself to the so-called Coulanceregulation that the other banks do.

May 27, 2024: AVROTROS “Opgelicht” describes how fraudsters gain access to the Bunq app:

  • You are presented with a login screen from the bank and you must enter your login information or identify yourself by scanning your face, for example. Once you have done this, criminals can get into your account.
  • Once you have clicked on the link you will be called by a criminal who calls “on behalf of bunq. They make you believe that a fraudulent payment was made and that they are happy to help you. Over the phone, they ask for your login credentials, access codes or you are asked to download software, resulting in criminals being able to access your money.

Read the entire article here Note: In the latest police reports we have received, we also see that the fraudsters have accessed the address book in the app and added a person there, to give credibility to the claim that money is at risk of being siphoned off. We do not yet understand how this is (technically) possible and we want to investigate this. Do you recognize this? Then immediately take a screenshot of the person unknown to you in the address book, to record this evidence. Give this information to the police as well.

May 24, 2024: NRC Handelsblad reports on Bunq frauds

One expert says of security at Bunq: “That bunq’s systems do not flag such behavior as suspicious and immediately block accounts is remarkable, argues banking fraud expert Pepijn Slappendel. “Every other bank I know has that right away.” Read the article here.

May 23, 2024: NOS reports on Bunq frauds

This article features a former employee: “The victims are collateral damage, a former Bunq employee tells NOS and NRC. “Security is not a subject that really drives Ali,” he says of Bunq chief Ali Niknam.” (…) “Three other former employees also say the bank is subordinating security to usability.” Read the article here.

May 12, 2024: Broadcast of AVROTROS Radar on fraud at Bunq

Radar covered fraud at Bunq in its May 10 broadcast. One victim received as many as 80 bank cards she did not apply for, as if the system had gone haywire. This phenomenon has also been reported to us in other cases. Watch the broadcast here.

May 1, 2024: Niknam response to security problems Bunq

The Financieele Dagblad reports on the Bunq frauds on May 1, 2024. According to managing director Ali Niknam, his bank is no more insecure than other banks:“Niknam disagrees with the claim that Bunq is more vulnerable than other banks because of the way it operates – facilitating quick transactions and paying from a savings account, for example.” Read the FD article here.

April 30, 2024: Frequently asked questions about fraud at Bunq

I am a victim of fraud at Bunq, what can I do? You can register your case with us without obligation for an initial estimate. Please include at least the following information:

  • police report (Pdf)
  • transaction summary as of date of fraud/remittance (Pdf)
  • your phone number for contact
  • describe in an email how you normally approve transfers, whether you have received links that you have clicked on, whether you have received a suspicious SMS, and describe any notifications you have received from Bunq. Enclose a screen shot of a suspicious SMS or email.
  • Send details to: support@hupkesadvocaten.nl .

What exactly are you going to do? Fraud with Bunq bank accounts appears to be more common than with other banks. We are going to study the cases reported to us because we want to understand why that is. In addition, we will talk to experts about the technical side. Then we will assess the legal chances. We probably do that by case type. The inventory is non-binding in nature; you are not locked into any fees. Will there be a lawsuit on behalf of a group? We’re going to figure that out quietly. We do need several weeks for that. We want to proceed carefully, because for most of the victims, they have lost a lot or even all of their money. Does the type of fraud make a difference? Yes. The frauds are carried out in different ways and vary from case to case. We are going to properly categorize the cases and assess what types of frauds there are. Given case law, a victim must be able to prove how the fraud was carried out. Can I go after the money and appeal to the recipients? Yes, this is often possible. Sometimes this is simple and therefore cheaper, other times complicated and therefore more expensive. The transaction statements show the IBANs to which the money was posted, with that we make an estimate. Generally, the recipient must repay the money. The collection through the bailiff sometimes runs smoothly, but it also happens that the accounts where the money goes are already blocked because the other bank suspects fraud and is waiting to see if the victim takes action. I’m with another bank and only saved with Bunq, and my Bunq savings account was converted to a checking account and then everything was transferred away. How is that possible? This type of fraud is possible with Bunq, if you knowingly or unknowingly clicked a phishing link. The fraudsters converted the savings account to a checking account and then transferred the money away. I am not taken seriously and get answers from a robot We notice that too! I was sent new bank cards that I did not apply for. How is that possible? This type of fraud is possible with Bunq, if you knowingly or unknowingly clicked a phishing link. There is no limit and apparently no alarm bell goes off. My money has been transferred away to IBANs with Dutch surnames, at Finom Payments BV (FNOM), SWAN, Openbank, or Bunq itself. Why these banks? These are currently the most common accounts that money is posted to, when looking at transactions. Apparently, the fraudsters have a preference for escrow accounts at these banks. It may be very easy to open an account with these banks. We are going to look at this carefully. I see on the transaction statement that the money is transferred away and then returned, how is that possible? Fraudsters sometimes make “mistakes” when putting money away and, for example, transfer money to a “VIBAN” that does not accept the money because it cannot be linked to an underlying account of, say, a cryptoexchange. Fraudsters are also constantly testing the systems. If something doesn’t work they try another way. I did not click a phishing link, but was called and had to transfer my money because my account was hacked. Are you looking at that as well? This case involves bank help desk fraud. Read more here . This can coincide with phishing. You may have unknowingly had a watcher in your smartphone anyway.