Headlines June
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Dozens of new Bunq victims report with tons of damage
Dozens of new victims of phishing at Bunq have reported after publications at NOS and NRC. Also with these new victims, amounts of 100,000 euros per case are not an exception. At least two cases are no more than a week old. On top of the already known loss of more than 1.6 million euros among 28 victims, at least another million euros will now be added. Experts said last week that the attackers' method is unlikely to be successful at other banks. The amount of money stolen is also surprising. Security measures that other banks have are lacking, and almost no one is compensated. Bunq recently opened an email address for victims.
Bunq makes appointments via secure chat
After the publications, Bunq has focused on improving its customer service. The customer service employees work from Turkey and Bulgaria. They communicate in English via email or a chat program. In this pilot, a Dutch-speaking employee from the head office now calls the victims. Bunq makes these call appointments via the secure chat and agrees on a time. Striking, because Bunq CEO Ali Niknam keeps repeating that his bank never, ever picks up the phone. "Bunq never calls. Know the rules of your bank," he responded last week in the TV program Sophie & Jeroen. A spokesperson says that this is a pilot: "The initial feedback shows that people attach great value to a human voice, to human contact. As technicians, we have underestimated that too much."
Several victims confirm that they have now spoken to an employee at the bank's head office. For example, a bank employee called Arco de Graaff, who lost 99,000 euros in March. He loses the money after clicking a link in a text message saying he needed to confirm his account due to an update. Initially, he was unable to contact Bunq's customer service for months, but last Thursday he suddenly received an invitation for a phone call. No commitment was made during the conversation, De Graaff says. A day after the conversation, he received an email from Bunq stating that he would not receive any compensation. "I know I made a mistake. I was stupid and I blame myself for that," says De Graaff. "But at the same time I also think that Bunq has saddled me with a defective product. All the blame is placed on me. But for 100,000 euros to disappear like that, that shouldn't just be possible, right?"
Public Prosecution Service is investigating
The money is siphoned off so quickly by internet criminals that it is almost impossible for the police to find it again. Experts from the banking sector say that it is almost always the bank itself that retrieves the money. The majority of victims NOS and NRC spoke to in recent weeks have now contacted their legal aid insurance or a lawyer. Almost everyone filed a report. When asked, the East Netherlands Public Prosecution Service stated that "based on reports, an investigation has been started that focuses on phishing at an online bank. Reports have shown that the amounts of damage involved were significantly higher than usual."
Source: https://nos.nl/artikel/2522662-tientallen-nieuwe-bunq-slachtoffers-melden-zich-met-tonnen-schade
New supermarket in Eelderwolde cannot open due to lack of power
The new supermarket in Eelderwolde will remain closed for the time being because Enexis cannot supply the required power. Project developer BUN has filed summary proceedings against the grid operator.
The construction of the supermarket on the border of Groningen and Drenthe had already been a long time coming , due to protests from a group of local residents. There is still a substantive procedure pending at the Council of State, the verdict of which will follow next summer.
The building was built in the meantime and residents were waiting for the festive opening. Only the construction fences and a temporary wooden front door betray that the store is not yet in operation.
In the queue
The fact that the door is still locked has everything to do with a lack of power. Grid operator Enexis has put the supermarket on the waiting list for a connection to the overcrowded power grid. This also happened in our province with a car wash and a reception center for Ukrainian refugees .
"We are dealing with scarcity on the power grid," says an Enexis spokesperson. 'The supermarket first requires a network extension before this customer can be connected. The lead time for these types of connections has become longer.'
What exactly does a grid expansion entail?
A reinforced power connection must be installed for a large building such as the supermarket in Eelderwolde. This may, for example, mean that an extra transformer house must be installed. In any case, the power grid must be made suitable.
Developer takes legal action
According to Enexis, it is impossible to say how long BUN will have to wait for a connection. The project developer does not leave it at that and has filed summary proceedings against the grid operator. The case has already been heard and the verdict will follow within a few weeks.
A spokesperson for BUN cannot comment on the matter in detail. 'It is a national problem that we are now also affected by,' he says about the power shortage.
Albert Heijn customers will have to wait a little longer to do their shopping (Spokesperson BUN)
Enexis is confident of a positive outcome to the summary proceedings. A spokesperson refers to a recent case that was initiated by Groninger Huis. In that case, the housing corporation demanded delivery of nineteen connections in Hoogezand within a few weeks. Enexis could not meet this and was proven right by the judge.According to Enexis, this business is comparable to the supermarket in Eelderwolde. 'In both cases there is insufficient space on the power grid, as long as it is not expanded.'
Opening still unclear
The supermarket in Eelderwolde was scheduled to be completed in April. How much later the doors can open is still unclear. What does this mean for the supermarket chain for which BUN is building the store?
'Albert Heijn customers will have to wait a little longer to do their shopping there', says the spokesperson. With that, he also seems to answer the question of which supermarket will move into the building, because that was still hanging above the market. To add that 'it could of course also be a different store formula'.
Source: https://www.rtvnoord.nl/economie/1169971/nieuwe-supermarkt-eelderwolde-kan-niet-open-door-gebrek-aan-stroom
Shocking: Chemical factory in Rotterdam port ignores safety regulations
The chemical factory Emerald Kalama Chemicals in the port of Rotterdam does not comply with safety regulations. This is evident from research by the journalistic platform Follow the Money (FTM). As a result, there is a high risk of incidents and accidents on the factory site. Supervisory authority DCMR has given the chemical factory the label 'care company'.
Inspectors are 'shocked' by how complacently the chemical plant deals with safety requirements and accepts risks for employees. The company reported a 'minor' incident but the fire extinguishing system on the site had completely failed. Supervisor DCMR was not fully informed about this. Inspectors discovered this during an inspection.
Emerald Kalama Chemicals in Botlek produces preservatives, fragrances and flavours for household and toiletry products such as shampoo, soap and painkillers. They also make plasticisers for the plastics industry.
Remarkably high number of sanctions
The reason to take a closer look at Emerald is a remarkably high number of sanctions imposed by the supervisory authority DCMR. The research platform Follow the Money wanted to know what is going on at the chemical factory. Read their entire article here .
The Rijnmond Environmental Service (DCMR) is responsible for supervising chemical factories such as Emerald. The category of companies that work with a large quantity of hazardous substances are subject to stricter controls than others. The supervisor works with the safety regions, labour inspectorate, water quality managers, the Environment and Transport Inspectorate and the Public Prosecution Service for these types of companies.
Neighboring company discovers fire
FTM spoke anonymously with an employee about an incident from three years ago. He talks about outdated installations and unsafe working conditions. That particular night shift in May 2021 starts after midnight in the control room, located in the middle of the site. It is a long walk from the parking lot, he takes a company bike. During the shift change and the review of the tasks, the phone rings. The boss lets him go. Then the call comes again, it is someone from a neighboring company: “Something is on fire at your place. We see flames from a column.”
In a report on the fire, requested by Follow the Money, the management of Emerald Kalama Chemical writes: “The company's emergency plan was immediately initiated and the fire brigade was alerted. They arrived quickly and extinguished the fire almost immediately.”
It is not the first time that a fire has broken out on the site. The employee tells FTM that he has the feeling that his managers do not take the risk very seriously. The factory was built in 1961 and is therefore one of the oldest factories in the Botlek area. In 1991, a very serious incident took place in which seven workers were killed. During welding and grinding work, a leak occurs in a tank, the explosive substance benzoic acid drips out and everything explodes.
Nearly 30 violations
In 2010, the factory came into American hands and was renamed Emerald Kalama Chemical. Installations were outdated and in need of replacement, but no investment was made in major maintenance. “One of the main problems was reactive behavior, only doing something when there was a problem,” noted the man who was responsible for maintenance on the factory site from 2016 to 2018.
In the years that followed, supervisor DCMR carried out 132 inspections and found 28 violations, according to an analysis by Follow the Money. These involved incorrect storage of hazardous substances, leaks, excessive emissions of pollutants into the air and the deliberate dilution of polluted wastewater and subsequent discharge into the sewer.
Measures ignored
The company is being prosecuted for this, has to pay fines and receives official warnings. Only Chemours in Dordrecht and Shell in Pernis have received more sanctions, but they are also being checked three to four times as often.
The label 'healthcare company' is therefore not unjustified. Even after inspections, the factory ignores necessary and imposed safety measures.
In August 2022 - the company is now in German hands and owned by Lanxess - Emerald reports a minor incident. A diesel pump to pump water to fire extinguishers has caught fire.
Violations are unacceptable (Inspectors in report after inspection on site)
The next day, inspectors from DCMR, the Labour Inspectorate and the Rotterdam-Rijnmond Safety Region come to check. They find that it is all much worse than the company makes it out to be. All fire extinguishing systems are down and they cannot even call on the fire extinguishing connections of neighbouring companies. In an emergency, this would have resulted in a disaster.
The company then does not adhere to the agreements made with the inspectors. “Unacceptable,” the inspectors write in their report. The inspectors told Emerald management that they 'experienced the violations as shocking'. A criminal investigation is underway.
Magnifying glass
A spokesperson from Germany does not respond to specific questions from Follow the Money. However, he said that the safety of employees and neighbors is a top priority and that double-digit millions are being invested to ensure the factory meets safety standards. According to him, there is also 'close and constructive' cooperation with the supervisor.
“We have to put an extra magnifying glass on companies like Emerald,” the DCMR responds. “It is not without reason that the DCMR has placed this company under increased supervision, and it is not without reason that an improvement program has been prescribed. Only once this has been achieved can all business processes be restarted," said a spokesperson for the DCMR.
Source: https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/1842096/schokkend-chemische-fabriek-in-rotterdamse-haven-heeft-lak-aan-veiligheidsvoorschriften
Bol.com customer data possibly stolen after cyber attack
Bol.com says that customer data was stolen in the first half of May in the ransomware attack. The cyberattack hit AddComm, a data processor of the Dutch webshop. Bol.com customers were notified by email on Tuesday of a ransomware attack at AddComm, an external company that Bol.com hired to send collection and validation letters. During the attack, which took place between 5 and 17 May, customer data was also stolen.
For consumers, this concerns names, address details, customer number, order number and associated item, and the outstanding amount of the order. Business customers have also been affected. Their company names, address details and Chamber of Commerce and/or VAT numbers have been leaked.
Size and impact still unclear
Bol.com cannot make any statements about the scale of the attack. It is known that customers who were informed by e-mail had their data stored at AddComm. Incidentally, this only concerns a limited part of the total customer base. AddComm was hired to send collection and validation letters.
The webshop emphasizes that bank and login details were not in the AddComm database and were therefore not stolen. There are also currently no indications that the stolen data is being misused.
Source: https://techpulse.be/nieuws/464225/klantgegevens-bol-com-mogelijk-gestolen-na-cyberaanval/
Dozens of new victims of phishing at Bunq have reported after publications at NOS and NRC. Also with these new victims, amounts of 100,000 euros per case are not an exception. At least two cases are no more than a week old. On top of the already known loss of more than 1.6 million euros among 28 victims, at least another million euros will now be added. Experts said last week that the attackers' method is unlikely to be successful at other banks. The amount of money stolen is also surprising. Security measures that other banks have are lacking, and almost no one is compensated. Bunq recently opened an email address for victims.
Bunq makes appointments via secure chat
After the publications, Bunq has focused on improving its customer service. The customer service employees work from Turkey and Bulgaria. They communicate in English via email or a chat program. In this pilot, a Dutch-speaking employee from the head office now calls the victims. Bunq makes these call appointments via the secure chat and agrees on a time. Striking, because Bunq CEO Ali Niknam keeps repeating that his bank never, ever picks up the phone. "Bunq never calls. Know the rules of your bank," he responded last week in the TV program Sophie & Jeroen. A spokesperson says that this is a pilot: "The initial feedback shows that people attach great value to a human voice, to human contact. As technicians, we have underestimated that too much."
Several victims confirm that they have now spoken to an employee at the bank's head office. For example, a bank employee called Arco de Graaff, who lost 99,000 euros in March. He loses the money after clicking a link in a text message saying he needed to confirm his account due to an update. Initially, he was unable to contact Bunq's customer service for months, but last Thursday he suddenly received an invitation for a phone call. No commitment was made during the conversation, De Graaff says. A day after the conversation, he received an email from Bunq stating that he would not receive any compensation. "I know I made a mistake. I was stupid and I blame myself for that," says De Graaff. "But at the same time I also think that Bunq has saddled me with a defective product. All the blame is placed on me. But for 100,000 euros to disappear like that, that shouldn't just be possible, right?"
Public Prosecution Service is investigating
The money is siphoned off so quickly by internet criminals that it is almost impossible for the police to find it again. Experts from the banking sector say that it is almost always the bank itself that retrieves the money. The majority of victims NOS and NRC spoke to in recent weeks have now contacted their legal aid insurance or a lawyer. Almost everyone filed a report. When asked, the East Netherlands Public Prosecution Service stated that "based on reports, an investigation has been started that focuses on phishing at an online bank. Reports have shown that the amounts of damage involved were significantly higher than usual."
Source: https://nos.nl/artikel/2522662-tientallen-nieuwe-bunq-slachtoffers-melden-zich-met-tonnen-schade
New supermarket in Eelderwolde cannot open due to lack of power
The new supermarket in Eelderwolde will remain closed for the time being because Enexis cannot supply the required power. Project developer BUN has filed summary proceedings against the grid operator.
The construction of the supermarket on the border of Groningen and Drenthe had already been a long time coming , due to protests from a group of local residents. There is still a substantive procedure pending at the Council of State, the verdict of which will follow next summer.
The building was built in the meantime and residents were waiting for the festive opening. Only the construction fences and a temporary wooden front door betray that the store is not yet in operation.
In the queue
The fact that the door is still locked has everything to do with a lack of power. Grid operator Enexis has put the supermarket on the waiting list for a connection to the overcrowded power grid. This also happened in our province with a car wash and a reception center for Ukrainian refugees .
"We are dealing with scarcity on the power grid," says an Enexis spokesperson. 'The supermarket first requires a network extension before this customer can be connected. The lead time for these types of connections has become longer.'
What exactly does a grid expansion entail?
A reinforced power connection must be installed for a large building such as the supermarket in Eelderwolde. This may, for example, mean that an extra transformer house must be installed. In any case, the power grid must be made suitable.
Developer takes legal action
According to Enexis, it is impossible to say how long BUN will have to wait for a connection. The project developer does not leave it at that and has filed summary proceedings against the grid operator. The case has already been heard and the verdict will follow within a few weeks.
A spokesperson for BUN cannot comment on the matter in detail. 'It is a national problem that we are now also affected by,' he says about the power shortage.
Albert Heijn customers will have to wait a little longer to do their shopping (Spokesperson BUN)
Enexis is confident of a positive outcome to the summary proceedings. A spokesperson refers to a recent case that was initiated by Groninger Huis. In that case, the housing corporation demanded delivery of nineteen connections in Hoogezand within a few weeks. Enexis could not meet this and was proven right by the judge.According to Enexis, this business is comparable to the supermarket in Eelderwolde. 'In both cases there is insufficient space on the power grid, as long as it is not expanded.'
Opening still unclear
The supermarket in Eelderwolde was scheduled to be completed in April. How much later the doors can open is still unclear. What does this mean for the supermarket chain for which BUN is building the store?
'Albert Heijn customers will have to wait a little longer to do their shopping there', says the spokesperson. With that, he also seems to answer the question of which supermarket will move into the building, because that was still hanging above the market. To add that 'it could of course also be a different store formula'.
Source: https://www.rtvnoord.nl/economie/1169971/nieuwe-supermarkt-eelderwolde-kan-niet-open-door-gebrek-aan-stroom
Shocking: Chemical factory in Rotterdam port ignores safety regulations
The chemical factory Emerald Kalama Chemicals in the port of Rotterdam does not comply with safety regulations. This is evident from research by the journalistic platform Follow the Money (FTM). As a result, there is a high risk of incidents and accidents on the factory site. Supervisory authority DCMR has given the chemical factory the label 'care company'.
Inspectors are 'shocked' by how complacently the chemical plant deals with safety requirements and accepts risks for employees. The company reported a 'minor' incident but the fire extinguishing system on the site had completely failed. Supervisor DCMR was not fully informed about this. Inspectors discovered this during an inspection.
Emerald Kalama Chemicals in Botlek produces preservatives, fragrances and flavours for household and toiletry products such as shampoo, soap and painkillers. They also make plasticisers for the plastics industry.
Remarkably high number of sanctions
The reason to take a closer look at Emerald is a remarkably high number of sanctions imposed by the supervisory authority DCMR. The research platform Follow the Money wanted to know what is going on at the chemical factory. Read their entire article here .
The Rijnmond Environmental Service (DCMR) is responsible for supervising chemical factories such as Emerald. The category of companies that work with a large quantity of hazardous substances are subject to stricter controls than others. The supervisor works with the safety regions, labour inspectorate, water quality managers, the Environment and Transport Inspectorate and the Public Prosecution Service for these types of companies.
Neighboring company discovers fire
FTM spoke anonymously with an employee about an incident from three years ago. He talks about outdated installations and unsafe working conditions. That particular night shift in May 2021 starts after midnight in the control room, located in the middle of the site. It is a long walk from the parking lot, he takes a company bike. During the shift change and the review of the tasks, the phone rings. The boss lets him go. Then the call comes again, it is someone from a neighboring company: “Something is on fire at your place. We see flames from a column.”
In a report on the fire, requested by Follow the Money, the management of Emerald Kalama Chemical writes: “The company's emergency plan was immediately initiated and the fire brigade was alerted. They arrived quickly and extinguished the fire almost immediately.”
It is not the first time that a fire has broken out on the site. The employee tells FTM that he has the feeling that his managers do not take the risk very seriously. The factory was built in 1961 and is therefore one of the oldest factories in the Botlek area. In 1991, a very serious incident took place in which seven workers were killed. During welding and grinding work, a leak occurs in a tank, the explosive substance benzoic acid drips out and everything explodes.
Nearly 30 violations
In 2010, the factory came into American hands and was renamed Emerald Kalama Chemical. Installations were outdated and in need of replacement, but no investment was made in major maintenance. “One of the main problems was reactive behavior, only doing something when there was a problem,” noted the man who was responsible for maintenance on the factory site from 2016 to 2018.
In the years that followed, supervisor DCMR carried out 132 inspections and found 28 violations, according to an analysis by Follow the Money. These involved incorrect storage of hazardous substances, leaks, excessive emissions of pollutants into the air and the deliberate dilution of polluted wastewater and subsequent discharge into the sewer.
Measures ignored
The company is being prosecuted for this, has to pay fines and receives official warnings. Only Chemours in Dordrecht and Shell in Pernis have received more sanctions, but they are also being checked three to four times as often.
The label 'healthcare company' is therefore not unjustified. Even after inspections, the factory ignores necessary and imposed safety measures.
In August 2022 - the company is now in German hands and owned by Lanxess - Emerald reports a minor incident. A diesel pump to pump water to fire extinguishers has caught fire.
Violations are unacceptable (Inspectors in report after inspection on site)
The next day, inspectors from DCMR, the Labour Inspectorate and the Rotterdam-Rijnmond Safety Region come to check. They find that it is all much worse than the company makes it out to be. All fire extinguishing systems are down and they cannot even call on the fire extinguishing connections of neighbouring companies. In an emergency, this would have resulted in a disaster.
The company then does not adhere to the agreements made with the inspectors. “Unacceptable,” the inspectors write in their report. The inspectors told Emerald management that they 'experienced the violations as shocking'. A criminal investigation is underway.
Magnifying glass
A spokesperson from Germany does not respond to specific questions from Follow the Money. However, he said that the safety of employees and neighbors is a top priority and that double-digit millions are being invested to ensure the factory meets safety standards. According to him, there is also 'close and constructive' cooperation with the supervisor.
“We have to put an extra magnifying glass on companies like Emerald,” the DCMR responds. “It is not without reason that the DCMR has placed this company under increased supervision, and it is not without reason that an improvement program has been prescribed. Only once this has been achieved can all business processes be restarted," said a spokesperson for the DCMR.
Source: https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/1842096/schokkend-chemische-fabriek-in-rotterdamse-haven-heeft-lak-aan-veiligheidsvoorschriften
Bol.com customer data possibly stolen after cyber attack
Bol.com says that customer data was stolen in the first half of May in the ransomware attack. The cyberattack hit AddComm, a data processor of the Dutch webshop. Bol.com customers were notified by email on Tuesday of a ransomware attack at AddComm, an external company that Bol.com hired to send collection and validation letters. During the attack, which took place between 5 and 17 May, customer data was also stolen.
For consumers, this concerns names, address details, customer number, order number and associated item, and the outstanding amount of the order. Business customers have also been affected. Their company names, address details and Chamber of Commerce and/or VAT numbers have been leaked.
Size and impact still unclear
Bol.com cannot make any statements about the scale of the attack. It is known that customers who were informed by e-mail had their data stored at AddComm. Incidentally, this only concerns a limited part of the total customer base. AddComm was hired to send collection and validation letters.
The webshop emphasizes that bank and login details were not in the AddComm database and were therefore not stolen. There are also currently no indications that the stolen data is being misused.
Source: https://techpulse.be/nieuws/464225/klantgegevens-bol-com-mogelijk-gestolen-na-cyberaanval/
Translated from Dutch to English with Google translate