Amsterdam Man Accused of Bank Fraud Using Facial Recognition Spoofing

Amsterdam, Netherlands – A 34-year-old man appeared in court Tuesday on suspicion of fraudulently opening dozens of bank accounts at ABN AMRO by exploiting vulnerabilities in the bank’s facial recognition security system. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) alleges the man circumvented the system designed to compare facial scans with identification card photos.

How the Fraud Worked

ABN AMRO allows customers to open accounts using a mobile app that requires scanning an identity card or passport and then a facial scan for verification. The system is intended to confirm the passport photo and the live scan match. Prosecutors claim the suspect bypassed this security measure by replacing photos on ID cards with his own passport photo and altering his own facial images to resemble those on the stolen IDs.

Discovery of the Fraud

ABN AMRO detected the fraudulent activity in the spring of 2025. On April 8, an account was opened in the name of a Canadian man, but the facial scan matched the Amsterdammer, according to the judge. Another account was opened in May using a woman’s ID, with the suspect’s facial scan exhibiting features similar to the woman’s passport photo, specifically in the mouth, and eyes.

Suspect’s Claims and Evidence Against Him

The suspect claims he was not involved in the fraud during the relevant period and that any videos of his face were created on behalf of another party, with no knowledge of their intended utilize. However, the Public Prosecution Service disputes this claim, stating that evidence found on the suspect’s phone contradicts his account.

This evidence includes IDs of victims whose names were used to open accounts and email accounts linked to those accounts.

Arrest and Further Evidence

The suspect was arrested in December at a border control by the military police. Envelopes containing a “large quantity” of bank cards linked to the fraudulently opened accounts were found in his vehicle. Upon being stopped, the suspect deleted his Telegram account from his phone, which prosecutors say contained further incriminating evidence.

Prosecution’s Demands

The Public Prosecution Service is seeking a 2.5-year prison sentence, with six months suspended, citing the evidence gathered from the suspect’s phone and other sources. A judge will deliver a ruling in two weeks.

ABN AMRO’s Response

ABN AMRO noticed the fraud in the spring of 2025 and closed the department involved in these transactions in 2014, according to a press release issued on May 28, 2025. The bank has resigned to a penalty order of EUR 14 million imposed by the Netherlands Public Prosecution Service (NPPS) for its involvement in transactions connected to the filing of intentionally incorrect tax returns by a Dutch subsidiary of a foreign financial institution between 2010 and 2013. ABN AMRO Press Release