A Dutch court has sentenced a 37-year-old man to 300 days in prison, with 226 days suspended, for utilizing the sophisticated phishing-as-a-service platform, LabHost. The ruling by the Rechtbank Midden-Nederland ECLI:NL:RBMNE:2025:5658 underscores the serious legal ramifications for individuals who engage with criminal infrastructure designed to facilitate online fraud.
LabHost, which was taken offline by international law enforcement agencies as previously reported by Security.nl, allowed users to create and deploy convincing fake websites for various entities, including banks, delivery services, and telecommunication companies. The platform was available for a monthly subscription fee of $249. Authorities identified at least 36 LabHost users operating within the Netherlands.
The convicted individual was found to possess phishing panels and a significant amount of data, approximately 18 gigabytes of “lead lists,” on his laptop. These lists contained personal information, phone numbers, email addresses, and in some instances, credit card or bank details. Such data is commonly sold to cybercriminals for use in various scams, including the “friend-in-need” or WhatsApp fraud, and bank helpdesk fraud.
The court determined that the man actively participated in the creation and acquisition of these phishing tools and data for nearly a year, with the explicit intent to defraud individuals and obtain their sensitive information for financial gain. Evidence presented during the trial included matching login credentials found on the defendant’s devices that corresponded with data in the LabHost database. Additionally, a Snapchat conversation was presented, featuring the term “typing,” which is known slang for conducting WhatsApp fraud.
While the court acknowledged the gravity of the offenses, considering the potential for extended prison sentences, it decided to suspend a substantial portion of the sentence. This decision was influenced by the defendant’s personal circumstances. The man was also mandated to perform community service.