Today at 5:30 PM • Updated today at 5:41 PM
Kevin (not his real name) thought he had found a reliable seller when he bought a covered mobility scooter via Marktplaats. Things went wrong after paying thousands of euros. He was supplied with a life-threatening vehicle. Contact with the seller was almost impossible. Several victims reported the scammer. but agencies point fingers at each other and the police do not process the reports. “The frustration is enormous. The police do nothing and the scammer can continue as usual.”
The frustration is not just in the money lost. The victims mainly want to prevent others from falling into the same trap. But that turns out to be more difficult than expected. “It seems impossible to stop him,” says Kevin. “I wanted to report it, but the police said there was no point because it was a civil matter.” Another victim filed an online report with the police and unsuccessfully reported the scammer to Marktplaats. His report was not processed. According to the police, there was no criminal offense and he should try to recover his damages through civil proceedings.
Omroep Brabant wrote about the mobility scooter dealer and spoke to several victims.
The difference between criminal and civil law
According to the Legal Desk, the distinction between fraud and a civil case is often less clear in practice than it seems. Criminal fraud only occurs if someone consciously and deliberately misleads for their own benefit. “That is difficult to prove, even after a police investigation,” a spokesperson explains. In many cases, a conflict is therefore seen as a civil issue: a problem between buyer and seller, for example if a product is not delivered or does not meet expectations. In that case, the consumer must take action himself, for example by canceling the purchase or starting a procedure to get the money back.
But that also turns out to be easier said than done in practice. One of the victims tried to officially cancel the purchase and sent a registered letter to the seller. It came back unopened. “Then you still end up empty-handed,” he says. The Legal Desk advises to always report any suspicions of fraud. Multiple reports about the same seller can be a reason for the police and judiciary to start an investigation.
Police and Marktplaats point at each other
But what if the police do not record the report, or say that there is little point? The police indicate that people should first report suspicions of fraud to Marktplaats itself. “The platform does a lot of prevention and combating scammers. In addition, you can report it to the Fraud Help Desk and it is always possible to file a report.” According to the police, combining these reports can ultimately lead to a trafficker who makes multiple victims being prosecuted.
For the victims of this scammer, reporting the seller to Marktplaats yields little result. They have reported several advertisements, but always get the same answer. No action is taken because no violation has been identified. In the meantime, the advertisements will remain online. Marktplaats indicates that the police contact them after a report, but in practice victims notice that their reports are not processed, which is why Marktplaats does not take any action.
Frustration among victims
The frustration is great. “Of course those advertisements are correct. Who would bet on scamming people?” said another victim. Kevin tried to warn others by placing an advertisement with information about the seller, but it was removed by Marktplaats. The platform explains that it is not intended to accuse people, even if they are suspected scammers.
The Fraud Helpdesk also recognizes the frustration of victims who report everywhere, but see that a scammer continues. “We understand that this affects their sense of justice and safety,” a spokesperson said. At the same time, the organization emphasizes that it is often difficult to stop perpetrators. “Scammers can easily disappear online and reappear under a different name. That makes detection difficult.”
According to the Fraud Helpdesk, platforms have an important responsibility. The organization believes that Marktplaats can do more. “Customer safety should be high on the priority list,” the organization said. “You can expect action to be taken when advertisements are identified as fraudulent by several victims.”
The story shows how powerless victims of online scams often feel. Authorities point fingers at each other, victims remain stuck and scammers continue as usual. It seems that the victims will not see their money back for a while.
