Dutch man convicted of opening 46 bank accounts with deepfake ID
A 34-year-old Dutch man was prosecuted for opening at least 46 fraudulent bank accounts at ABN AMRO by using deepfake technology to manipulate identity documents. He obtained personal data from social media and fake housing listings, then replaced passport photos with AI-generated faces to bypass the bank's facial recognition verification system and open accounts for fraudulent purchases.
What happened
A 34-year-old Amsterdam man opened at least 46 bank accounts at ABN AMRO in 2025 by manipulating identity documents with deepfake technology. He replaced passport photos with images of other people's faces generated using AI, then uploaded these forged documents during ABN AMRO's online account opening process, which requires facial recognition verification.
The man obtained victims' personal data and photos from social media and through fraudulent housing rental listings on Marktplaats, where he impersonated a landlord to collect copies of identification documents. ABN AMRO discovered the fraud in spring 2025 when an account was opened using a woman's passport but with a man's face in the selfie verification step.
Reported impact
The fraudulent accounts were used for purchases on behalf of unsuspecting victims. ABN AMRO's facial recognition and identity verification system failed to detect the deepfake manipulation, allowing the accounts to be created and used for financial crimes.
Index analysis
DuckDuckGoose, an Amsterdam-based company specializing in deepfake detection, warned that current security systems are insufficient against AI-generated identity fraud. The firm demonstrated that modern deepfakes can mimic watermarks and correct grayscale values, and called for multilayered security measures as new-generation deepfakes evolve rapidly.
Governance controls
ABN AMRO stated it continuously adjusts its controls in response to market developments. The bank's online account opening process requires scanning an identity document and facial recognition verification to confirm the applicant matches the ID holder, but this system was circumvented.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.