finance
Rotterdam Port Task Force Expanded as Traders Report $11.5 Million Yearly Losses to Storage Scams
Fraudsters have used fake websites and forged documents to sell non-existent storage at the Port of Rotterdam, generating at least $11.5 million in annual losses. The port authority and storage companies expanded a task force in February 2026 to identify and remove fraudulent sites.
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The Port of Rotterdam Authority and VOTOB expanded a task force in February 2026 to combat storage spoofing, the sale of non-existent oil storage capacity at terminals in the port area. The group now includes the port authority, storage companies, traders, and police. Its members identify fraudulent websites, blacklist them, and have them taken offline.
Fraudsters have used fake websites, forged documents, and AI-generated impersonations to sell non-existent oil storage and inventories at the Port of Rotterdam. Scammers copy publicly available information from legitimate companies’ websites, chambers of commerce, Google Maps, and logos to create convincing fake sites.
The Port of Rotterdam Authority has estimated that these scams have operated for about 15 years.
5 million after paying for non-existent oil storage at the Port of Rotterdam based on forged documents, according to Dutch outlet NOS. The oil involved in the trade did not exist, nor did the storage facility for which he had already paid. 5 million in annual losses for traders in known and reported cases, the Port of Rotterdam Authority said.
9 billion were reported to the task force. com reported. Fraudsters create fake websites, emails, and other digital contact based on trust and forged documents, and the availability of AI tools has made it easier for unsuspecting traders to fall into the trap.
