Dutch Man Jailed for Using Deepfake Images to Open 47 Fraudulent Bank Accounts
A 34-year-old Dutch man was sentenced to 2.5 years imprisonment for opening 47 fraudulent bank accounts at ABN AMRO using deepfake-generated facial images combined with victims' identity documents. The accounts were used to conduct helpdesk fraud schemes that resulted in financial losses to victims, and the perpetrator was ordered to pay the bank €13,000 in damages.
What happened
Between March and November 2025, a 34-year-old man without a fixed address opened 47 bank accounts at ABN AMRO by deceiving the bank's identification and verification process. He created deepfake images by combining photos of himself with photos of other people obtained from social media, previous data breaches, or by posing as a property landlord on Marktplaats to request identity documents.
The man modified identity document photos and adapted his own facial images to resemble passport photos on the personal identity cards. He used the fraudulently opened accounts for bank helpdesk fraud, a scam in which perpetrators impersonate bank employees to convince people to transfer money.
Police discovered evidence on the man's phone showing conversations with ChatGPT where he asked how verification processes work and how sensors could be misled. The perpetrator was eventually caught through CCTV footage at ATMs.
Reported impact
Some victims lost money through helpdesk fraud committed using the fraudulently opened accounts. ABN AMRO was required to compensate at least one victim for the missing funds and incurred investigation costs.
Index analysis
The man had been previously convicted in 2022 and 2023 for similar crimes. In the courtroom, he initially claimed another person was involved and denied knowing the synthetic images would be used for illegal purposes, but the court rejected this defense.
Governance controls
ABN AMRO's identification and verification process, which includes mobile app-based identity document scanning and facial recognition, was compromised by deepfake-generated images and modified photos.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.