Authorities Bust Millionaire Airbnb Phishing Ring

Five people have been taken into custody in Belgium on suspicion of participating in a large-scale phishing scheme that carried out cybercrimes throughout Europe. In order to contact victims and trick them into giving over their banking information, the organization set up call centers in upscale Airbnb and apartment rentals. This information was then misused to steal millions of dollars. According to a Dutch law enforcement announcement of the arrests, the cybercriminals utilized the illicitly obtained money to purchase expensive watches, clothing, and nights at upscale nightclubs.

Evidence of the cyber-fraud network was initially found by Belgian authorities, who were able to identify its Rotterdam-based boss. Together, the two nations' law enforcement agencies detained three males and one woman, a 66-year-old who was later freed but is still under suspicion. A magistrate decided to make the three men remain in custody. A fifth suspect was arrested in Belgium at the request of Dutch authorities and will be extradited to the Netherlands to face charges.

Police Warn Cybercriminals to Expect "VIP Treatment,"

A statement regarding the arrests was released by Rotterdam Public Prosecution Service public prosecutor Jacqueline Bonnes. "Many victims in at least ten European countries were called by a so-called bank employee or an employee of a so-called anti-fraud team with the message that fraud had been committed with their bank account and that the [bank] employee could help them," Bonnes said. "Bank accounts were mercilessly plundered and in this way, they managed to steal an estimated millions of euros."

Members of the cybercrime ring, who had very costly tastes, lived a luxurious lifestyle thanks to the stolen money. In the statement regarding the arrests, Jan van der Linden, team leader of the Cybercrime Team Rotterdam, added, "While the victims were left in misery, they spent all the victims' money during parties in expensive clubs, dressed in designer clothes and expensive watches." "Or they rented cars and booked luxury holidays in Spain."

According to Van der Linden, the alleged perpetrators enjoyed flaunting their opulent lifestyle on social media. "And then preferably with a photo that also included a celebrity from, for example, the music or football world, which increased their status," he said. Ruben van Well, another Dutch cybercrime law enforcement official, stated that he would keep finding these blatant crooks who use social media to exalt their crimes, with plans for his own "VIP" treatment — "very important police treatment."