Frequently asked questions about Check your Hack
Why don't I receive an email after performing the check?
If your details are not included in the datasets, you will not receive an email from the police. We do this to prevent misuse of the check function. For example, we prevent you from receiving unwanted mail (spam).
Are there other organisations who help Endgame victims?
As part of Operation Endgame, the Dutch Institute for Vulnerability Disclosure (DIVD) has offered to assist in warning as many victims as possible. DIVD’s mission is to warn as many internet users as possible worldwide about the misuse of their data. For more information, visit the DIVD website.
Why is the result of the check not displayed on the screen?
This has to do with the protection of the privacy of personal data (GDPR). It prevents someone from randomly entering email addresses and seeing who is a victim.
Why can I not check domains?
For safety reasons. If we were to allow the checking of domains, other people than the owner of the data would be able to easily view email addresses. Businesses and organisations can join No More Leaks, a project in which the police share data with private partners. Moreover, you can visit Spamhaus, which informs providers from which servers phishing mails are being sent.
If the dataset is confiscated by the police, am I no longer at risk?
It is then still possible that criminals have your (login) data. Therefore, always follow the recommended steps.
If I do not receive an email, is my data safe?
If you do not receive an e-mail, then your data is not in the datasets that the police have secured. It cannot be ruled out that your data has been leaked in another way. Therefore, always be aware of your digital security and make sure, for example, that you use secure passwords.
Why don't the police send a message to all victims in the dataset?
As long as the malicious software is on your computer, criminals may have access to your passwords. It is also possible that the criminals get an update of your password after you have changed it. That means, in theory, they can also view your inbox and delete emails.
Warning: fake Check your hack email messages
Unfortunately, criminals have also caught on to the success of the Check your hack website. Did you receive an email from the Netherlands Police asking you to check the dataset? This is a fraudulent message. Do not click the link and delete the message. Unlike scammers (phishing), the Netherlands Police does not send emails containing links. If the police ask you to check your data, you will be requested to visit www.politie.nl/en/information/checkyourhack.html or 'the website of the Netherlands Police' by typing in the address yourself in the search bar of your browser.
My mail is in the dataset on Check je hack. What should I do?
If your data is included in the dataset, you will receive an e-mail from the police after you have entered your e-mail address in the check function. This email describes exactly what you need to do to remove any malware.
How did I become a victim?
The malicious malware could have entered your computer in several ways, for example after you downloaded something that contained the malware. There are also fake websites where cyber criminals lure you to download seemingly legal software. These websites are promoted via, for example, Google Ads.
If my data is in the dataset, what danger am I running?
This means that criminals may misuse your data to send spam. Your computer may also be infected with malicious malware. It is possible that criminals can then access your passwords and gain access to your bank account and inbox, for example.
What do the police do with the email address I enter?
The police only uses it once, to check if the email address is part of the dataset. The e-mail address you enter will not be saved.
Why can I not receive all the data relating to me (apart from my email address) that has been found?
To protect the privacy of others whose personal data were also found in the files. The data found is often not structured and certainly not all data can be linked to a single email address. For this reason, the information cannot be provided via the Check your hack feature. To learn more, please read our privacy statement (Chapter 10), in Dutch only.
