AttentionOpInternet forum stops after more than ten years

Stichting Stop Internetoplichting, which for more than ten years managed the forums OplichtingOpInternet and then OpgeletOpInternet, is discontinuing. According to the team, awareness has increased and visitors know where to find the Landelijk Meldpunt Internet Fraud.

Almost ten years ago the forum OplichtingOpInternet.nl went online and in 2008 the administrators set up the Stichting Stop Internetoplichting foundation. The aim was to make users aware of the risks and possible problems when making purchases on the Internet. Users could report details about purchasing issues in topics, after which others could provide help and advice. The foundation informed organizations, online payment providers, hosters and advertising sites, among other things, about new methods of fraud. In 2012, the name of the forum was changed to OpgeletOpInternet.nl.

“The changing environment has made us decide to end our current online activities via the OpgeletOpInternet.nl forum as of 1 July,” the foundation now reports. According to the team members, awareness and alertness among consumers has now greatly improved and the number of reports and malicious sites is decreasing sharply, partly due to the arrival of the National Reporting Center for Internet Scams. “Their cooperation with banks, hosters and advertising sites means that they can act quickly in the event of internet scams, which is clearly bearing fruit,” the foundation said.

As of 1 July, OpgeletOpInternet will be under maintenance and it will only be possible to read how consumers can trade safely on Marktplaats and what they should pay attention to when shopping online. The team leaves open the possibility for others to take over management of the platform.

In 2009, another private initiative to improve the security of online shopping stopped: Internet scams closed their doors after a judge sentenced the administrators to remove and keep a topic about Trendy boots. The company behind Trendyboots demanded this because of an allegation of fraud.