Bunq will still pay compensation to phishing victims

Bunq is offering compensation for customers affected by phishing. Initially, the bank refused to compensate the customers. It is not known how many customers are eligible for the compensation.

The affected customers will receive 85 percent of their stolen amount back, write De Telegraaf and NOS, among others.

The bank tells De Telegraaf that all affected customers have been informed about the new leniency scheme. From now on, customers will in principle be reimbursed for the full amount of the damage, provided they meet a number of 'hard criteria'. For example, bunq reduces the compensation if customers have been 'particularly careless', says Sandra Molenaar, director of the Consumers' Association. “We understand that to a certain extent. Consumers also have a responsibility themselves. But criminals work very professionally and increasingly smarter. Scams are often really not clear,” Molenaar told the newspaper.

< p>At the end of May, research by NOS and NRC showed that bunq customers are more likely to fall victim to phishing than customers at other banks. This was partly because the bank did not have security measures that other banks have, such as a cooling-off period when a customer exceeds his daily limit. The online bank has now adjusted its security system after consultation with the Ministry of Finance.

NOS and NRC have spoken to 28 victims, who together lost more than 1.6 million euros. In four cases it concerns more than 100,000 euros. Previously, if customers were robbed, they would not receive anything back from bunq. “It's like giving someone your car keys outside on the street. Then your car is gone,” said bunq CEO Ali Niknam in a conversation with a victim.

Update,11.42 hour: A previous version of the article stated that 85 bunq customers had fallen victim to phishing last year. This was wrong. That is why the article has been adjusted.