Investigations for private individuals: clarity after a scam, harassment or deception

Private individuals usually come to NCRB - Investigative Intelligence (Nederlands Cyber Recherchebureau) when something has already gone wrong: money sent to a fake investment, an online contact who turns out not to exist, messages that may disappear, or a debtor who does not pay. You are not alone in this: according to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), 16 percent of Dutch people aged 15 and over were victims of online crime in 2024, 9 percent of fraud and scams. We are a licensed investigation agency under Dutch law (Wpbr) and work only with lawful sources and methods. Up front we tell you honestly what an investigation can achieve, and when a police report or a report to a fraud helpline is the better first step.

How we help private individuals

I have been scammed online

In investment fraud, romance scams, fake webshops or WhatsApp fraud, we map the traces: profiles, domains, phone numbers, bank accounts and payment routes. You receive a report with a source and date for each finding, usable for your police report, your bank or your lawyer. Identifying the perpetrator is never guaranteed, but even without a name a substantiated file puts you in a stronger position.

More on this: Fraud & Scam Investigation · Scammed online? Step-by-step guide for victims · WhatsApp impersonation fraud: what to do

I lost crypto to a scam

We follow the transactions across the blockchain and show where the money went, for example to an exchange. That report supports your police report or legal action. Nobody can promise to get it back; anyone who does is often a scammer themselves.

More on this: Crypto Tracing & Blockchain Analysis · After a crypto scam: evidence checklist for victims

I doubt an online contact, investor or business partner

We check whether a person, profile, company or offer is genuine before you pay or sign: identity, photos, registers and digital traces. For a business investment or partnership there is the Counterparty Check: one person and one company in the Netherlands or the United Kingdom, a fixed fee and three to five working days.

More on this: OSINT & Person Tracing · Counterparty Check · Catfishing: how to verify an online identity

I am being threatened or harassed online

If messages come from an anonymous account or an unknown number, we investigate which traces that account leaves and whether they lead to a person. At the same time we preserve the messages as evidence. In case of threats, report to the police first; our report can support it. Identification is never guaranteed.

More on this: OSINT & Person Tracing · Digital Evidence & Forensics

I am looking for someone

An heir, a witness, a debtor or a family member you lost touch with: we search within Dutch licensing law (Wpbr) and the GDPR, and only where there is a legitimate interest. We do not trace people for stalking, harassment or control, and we refuse requests without a legitimate purpose, such as locating an ex-partner or family member who deliberately avoids contact. If we find someone in a sensitive family matter, the person found decides whether contact is made.

More on this: Tracing a person: what a licensed agency can legally do · OSINT & Person Tracing

I need to preserve online evidence

Messages, profiles and web pages may be gone tomorrow. We capture them with a timestamp, source URL, metadata and hash value, so you can later show what was there and when. We also check email headers and documents that were sent to you.

More on this: Digital Evidence & Forensics

Someone owes me money

Before you start proceedings or have assets attached, you want to know whether there is anything to recover. Recovery research maps what a debtor owns, such as real estate, business interests, vehicles and crypto. A legitimate interest is required, such as a claim or a judgment. For a small amount we tell you honestly when research is not proportionate to the claim.

More on this: Recovery research

When a police report or a fraud helpline is enough

Not every situation calls for an investigation agency. In the Netherlands, report a scam to the police: on 0900-8844 or at a police station, and for some forms of cybercrime also online. Also report it to the Dutch Fraudehelpdesk, online or on 088-786 7372, and if you made a payment, contact your bank immediately. Outside the Netherlands, contact the police or the national fraud reporting service in your country.

If the loss is limited and there are few traces, that is often the best route. An investigation makes sense when there are concrete leads, when you need evidence for your bank, insurer or lawyer, or when you want to know who you are dealing with before you go further. Whether that applies to you, you will hear in the feasibility check.

Beware of fake recovery services

After a scam you may be approached by someone who promises to recover your money, such as a so-called lawyer, regulator or specialist company, in return for an upfront payment. According to the Dutch Fraudehelpdesk and the Dutch financial markets authority (AFM), this is often a second scam: you pay again and the money does not come back. Do not respond to help you did not ask for.

In the Netherlands an investigation agency needs a licence from the Minister of Justice and Security. You can check it in the public Wpbr register of Justis. NCRB never asks for a payment or upfront fee via WhatsApp or social media, and never promises that money will come back.

More on this: Our licence in the Justis Wpbr register ↗ (opens in a new window) · Recovery scams: how to spot a fake crypto recovery service

How it works

1. Briefly tell us what is going on, by form or phone. You do not need to choose a service or send anything yet.
2. Usually within one business day we tell you whether an investigation is useful and lawful.
3. If it is, you receive a defined assignment with a fixed price or cost ceiling, in writing. We only start after your approval.
4. You receive a report in plain language, with a source and date for each finding, and honest advice on next steps: police, bank, lawyer, or stopping.

More on this: Our approach, step by step

What does it cost?

There is no price list, because the scope differs per question. A short feasibility check comes first; if an investigation makes sense, you then receive a defined scope with a fixed price or cost ceiling, in writing, before any work begins. You pay for research and reporting, not for a guaranteed outcome, and we are honest when an investigation is not proportionate to your loss.

More on this: Private investigator cost: how our pricing works

Confidential and careful

What you tell us is treated confidentially. We work under the Wpbr, the GDPR and the privacy code of conduct for licensed investigation agencies, and investigate no more than your question requires. The person we investigate also has rights; that is why we assess beforehand whether your interest justifies the investigation.

Never share your seed phrase (recovery phrase), passwords or login codes, not even with us: a trustworthy investigator will never ask for them.

More on this: Privacy policy

What we do not do

• No hacking and no access to protected accounts or devices.
• No pretexting: we do not pose as someone else to obtain information.
• No requests for bank data, telecom data or other protected personal data: a private agency cannot lawfully obtain them.
• No guarantee of repayment or of identifying a perpetrator.

Frequently asked questions

Can an investigation agency get my money back?

Not by itself. An investigation agency investigates and reports: where the money went, who may be behind it and what evidence exists. Repayment runs through your bank, an exchange, the police or legal proceedings, and is never guaranteed. Distrust anyone who promises otherwise, especially in return for an upfront payment.

Is the first conversation really free?

Yes. The first conversation and a short feasibility check are free and without obligation. You then decide whether to give us an assignment; you receive it in writing beforehand, with a fixed price or cost ceiling.

Should I report to the police first?

After a scam a police report is almost always advisable, and often required by your bank or insurer. You do not need to wait for it before contacting us. Our report can support your police report; we do not replace the police.

Can an investigation agency trace someone for me?

Yes, if you have a legitimate interest and the investigation is proportionate to it, for example in an estate, with a debtor or for a witness. We refuse requests without a legitimate purpose, such as locating an ex-partner or family member who deliberately avoids contact.

I have little evidence. Is an investigation still useful?

You will hear that in the feasibility check. There is often more than you think: a phone number, bank account, website address or wallet address can be a starting point. If there is too little to work with, we will tell you honestly.

Does NCRB also work for private individuals outside the Netherlands?

Yes. NCRB works from the Netherlands for clients from more than 25 countries, in English or Dutch.