2025.10.11 – When the Cazones River Broke: Poza Rica Flood, Voices, Rain Engines & Trust

Key Takeaways

  • On 10–11 October 2025 (Netherlands time), the Cazones River overflowed, flooding Poza Rica, Veracruz, damaging homes, shops, and industrial buildings.
  • Residents shared urgent, compact messages — darkness, drifting cars, relief when power returned — often with emojis (😱, 😳) and YouTube videos.
  • Verified reports estimate around 28 deaths across Mexico, including 2 in Veracruz; local claims of higher losses circulated, but lacked independent confirmation.
  • Meteorological factors include Invest 90E (a tracked tropical disturbance) evolving into Tropical Storm Raymond, supported by enhanced moisture from El Niño.
  • By comparison, Bahía Blanca, Argentina (7 March 2025) recorded 260–400 mm of rain and about 16 deaths. Poza Rica experienced a less intense downpour but similar consequences due to fragile infrastructure.

The River in Quiet Night

The photograph is haunting: the Cazones River at night, swollen to 8.50 meters, muddy and forceful. No people are visible — only water, structures, and darkness. That visual silence deepens the sense of aftermath.

Flooding the City

During 10–11 October 2025 (Netherlands time), the river breached its banks and surged into Poza Rica. Traffic lanes became currents, vehicles stalled or drifted.
Heavy damage was reported across Los Laureles, a Nissan facility lost its gates, and a Liverpool store was inundated. Both local and national coverage confirmed that the city suffered widespread flooding as waters spilled from the river.

Voices & Micro-Communication

When power failed, people narrowed their words:

  • “Everything OK with the flood?” (translated from Spanish)
  • “Lights back.” (translated from Spanish)
    Emojis — 😱 and 😳 — bore emotional weight. Around 19:17 Netherlands time, YouTube videos circulated showing submerged streets, buses, and storefronts — raw visual records of the flood.

Counting Loss & Discrepancies

Official statements suggest ~28 deaths nationwide, with 2 in Veracruz linked to the Poza Rica flooding. Some local reports cited 4 deaths, and community voices claimed ~10+ in Poza Rica itself.
Initial counts in disasters are often imperfect. As of now, there is no verified proof of systematic underreporting or concealment.

The Rain Engine

Meteorologists tracked Invest 90E, a Pacific disturbance later becoming Tropical Storm Raymond (Eastern Pacific EP17), under El Niño–augmented moisture.
Though not a landfalling hurricane, this interaction — plus geographic slope and inadequate drainage — triggered severe runoff, flooding rivers and city streets.

Comparing with Bahía Blanca

On 7 March 2025, Bahía Blanca, Argentina endured ~260–400 mm of rainfall within hours, causing ~16 deaths and widespread collapse of infrastructure.
Rainfall totals for Poza Rica remain uncertain in public sources. Yet the damage patterns echo: when river overflow meets weak urban drainage, even moderate rainfall can devastate.

Conclusions

This is not simply a story of rain. The Cazones River broke its banks and found a city with limited capacity to channel it. Residents documented the crisis through small signals — a message, an emoji, a shaky video — and those fragments now map their night.
While death counts differ, no credible evidence supports a deliberate cover-up.
What stands out: the magnitude of loss is shaped less by how much water falls and more by where it falls, how a city is built, and how people speak in the dark.

Sources

2025.10.11 – When Faith, Family, and Facebook Connect: Confirming Parish Live-Streams and Community Devotion

Story & Details

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy (Spanish: Coronilla de la Divina Misericordia) is a Catholic prayer rooted in the visions of St. Faustina Kowalska. It is prayed worldwide, traditionally at 3:00 p.m., known as the “Hour of Mercy.”

At that same hour—15:00 Netherlands time—many Catholics unite in prayer, including those following the devotion through digital means. In Pigüé, Argentina, Parroquia Pigüé brings this moment to life through Facebook Live, where parishioners and families gather online to recite the chaplet together. The parish frequently streams this devotion and always communicates schedule updates or cancellations transparently.

This digital gathering not only connects local faithful but also extends the spirit of community devotion to family members living abroad, showing how online spaces can sustain spiritual life across borders and generations.

(This reflection is based on the parish’s recent streaming activity and public posts as of October 2025.)

Final Thoughts

By blending faith, family life, and digital connectivity, Parroquia Pigüé demonstrates how spiritual devotion adapts and thrives in the modern era. The parish’s openness in sharing schedules and its commitment to online participation highlight how tradition can harmonize beautifully with technology—keeping prayer alive and accessible in everyday life.

Sources

2025.10.11 – How to Spark Engagement in Virtual Meetings Using Emojis and Hand-Raise Gestures

Key Takeaways

  • Emoji reactions and hand-raise tools let you participate in calls nonverbally, avoiding interruptions.
  • Reactions show briefly on the screen; raised hands alert the moderator or host.
  • Google Meet now supports gesture detection: raising your physical hand can trigger a hand-raise symbol.
  • These features improve meeting flow, inclusion, and clarity.

Story and Details

Using Reactions and Hand-Raise in Google Meet

In Google Meet (desktop or mobile), participants can interact through:

  • Emoji reactions: Tap “Send a reaction” from the three dots menu and choose an emoji. The emoji briefly appears as a badge or scrolling animation. Hosts or admins can disable this feature. (support.google.com/meet/answer/13151720)
  • Hand-raise action: Tap the “Raise hand” button at the bottom of the call window. Your video tile will display a hand icon, and moderators will see all raised hands in order. (support.google.com/meet/answer/10159750)
  • To lower your hand, tap the same button again. Moderators can also lower individual or all hands. (support.google.com/meet/answer/10159750)

On Android: tap the screen, go to controls → “More controls” → “Raise your hand.” (support.google.com/google-workspace-individual/answer/10159750)

Gesture Detection: Raising Your Physical Hand

Since November 2023, Google Meet can detect when you raise your real hand and interpret it as a virtual hand raise. (workspaceupdates.googleblog.com/2023/11/google-meet-hand-raise-gesture-detection.html)
To enable this feature:

  • In a meeting, go to “More options” → “Reactions” → “Hand Raise Gesture” and turn it on. (workspaceupdates.googleblog.com/2023/11/google-meet-hand-raise-gesture-detection.html)
  • Keep your camera on, and make sure your hand is clearly visible and not covering your face.
  • Gesture detection pauses while you are speaking and reactivates afterward. (workspaceupdates.googleblog.com/2023/11/google-meet-hand-raise-gesture-detection.html)

UI and Behavior Updates

On Android, Google is redesigning the interface so that the emoji reactions button is easier to find, while the hand-raise option is moved to an overflow menu. (androidpolice.com/google-meet-ui-makeover-emoji-reactions-android)
Emoji reactions include icons like thumbs up, heart, applause, and laughter, with skin tone variations available. (support.google.com/meet/answer/13151720)

Conclusions

By combining emoji reactions, the hand-raise feature, and gesture detection, virtual meetings become more natural and engaging. These tools help organize speaking turns, reduce interruptions, and make online participation more expressive and inclusive.

Sources

2025.10.11 – When AI Writes Reports: The Deloitte 440,000-AUD Fallout, Azure, Hallucinations, and Human Oversight

Key Takeaways

  • Deloitte Australia produced a 237-page report for the Australian government that included fabricated citations and a false court reference created by artificial intelligence (AI).
  • The AI used was OpenAI’s GPT-4o model, accessed through Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service.
  • Deloitte refunded approximately 98,000 AUD from the original 440,000 AUD contract and issued a corrected version of the report.
  • The problem was not Azure’s infrastructure but human oversight and failure to verify AI-generated text.
  • The case became a global reference for how generative AI should be used responsibly in public-sector consulting.

Story & Details

What Deloitte Did

In early 2025, Deloitte Australia was contracted by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) to analyze a welfare compliance system and deliver a detailed report valued at 440,000 AUD.
The document contained several fabricated academic citations and even a quote from a court case that never existed. These errors were traced to text produced by GPT-4o, a generative model developed by OpenAI and accessed through Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service.

When the inaccuracies were discovered by researchers and media, Deloitte investigated internally and confirmed that parts of the analysis had been generated using AI without sufficient human review. The firm withdrew the document, issued a corrected version, and added a note clarifying that AI had been used in the writing process.

Although the Australian government stated that the main conclusions remained valid, the reputational damage was significant. To resolve the issue, Deloitte voluntarily refunded the final instalment of the contract (around 98,000 AUD) and publicly apologized. Officials later said that future government contracts would require clear disclosure whenever AI tools are involved in report creation.

Azure OpenAI and Its Role

Azure OpenAI Service is Microsoft’s enterprise platform that allows organizations to use OpenAI’s models within the Azure cloud. This setup provides strict data privacy, security compliance, and regional data storage—important for government clients.

The model itself, GPT-4o, is identical to the one used in ChatGPT. The difference is that Azure gives companies private and auditable access through an application programming interface (API) rather than an open public interface. This means that hallucinations—the generation of plausible but false statements—can occur in both environments.

In this case, Azure did not cause the hallucinations; the model’s probabilistic text-generation process did. The incident underlined the need for robust human validation and transparency policies, regardless of how the AI is hosted.

Hallucinations, Responsibility & Oversight

AI “hallucination” occurs when a model produces information that sounds realistic but is factually incorrect. This happens because the system predicts likely word sequences without verifying facts.

The Deloitte report’s false citations and invented legal quote were classic examples of such hallucinations. The real failure, however, was organizational: AI output was treated as authoritative without rigorous review.

Australian lawmakers and experts criticized the oversight, emphasizing that AI tools should support human expertise, not replace it. Deloitte has since revised its internal guidelines, requiring disclosure of generative AI use in all deliverables and mandatory fact-checking before publication.

Despite the controversy, Deloitte continues to expand AI adoption across its operations, citing the event as a valuable lesson in governance and transparency.

Entities & Roles Index

  • Deloitte Australia — Consulting firm responsible for producing and correcting the flawed report.
  • DEWR (Department of Employment and Workplace Relations) — The Australian government department that commissioned the report.
  • Microsoft Azure — Cloud platform providing enterprise access to OpenAI models.
  • OpenAI — Developer of GPT-4o, the generative model used in the report.
  • Australian Parliament Members — Critics who demanded stricter rules on AI use in public contracts.
  • Academic reviewers and journalists — Detected the false citations that triggered the controversy.

Conclusions

The Deloitte–Australia incident demonstrates that even when AI operates in secure enterprise settings like Azure, human accountability cannot be outsourced.
Generative AI remains prone to factual invention, and institutional safeguards must ensure verification and disclosure.
Public trust depends on transparency, and this episode stands as both a warning and a guide for responsible AI adoption in the public sector.

Sources

2025.10.11 – Why Your Face Feels Intense Heat After Eating — Causes, Clues, and When to Act

Key Takeaways

  • Feeling strong heat in the face after meals often comes from normal metabolic and circulatory changes during digestion.
  • Spicy foods, alcohol, hot drinks, and big meals can amplify the sensation.
  • Occasionally, underlying conditions (skin, hormonal, nerve-related) may explain extreme or frequent reactions.
  • Tracking food triggers, accompanying symptoms, and timing is essential.
  • If the facial heat is severe, frequent, or accompanied by other symptoms, medical evaluation is advised.

What Happens in Your Body When You Eat

Metabolic Heat After Meals

After you eat, your body boosts energy expenditure to digest, absorb, and store nutrients — part of what’s called diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT), also known as the thermic effect of food. Studies estimate DIT accounts for roughly 5–15 % of total energy expenditure. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
The exact rise in “heat” depends on meal size, macronutrient mix, and individual factors. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

What Is Brown Fat and Why It Matters

Brown fat, or brown adipose tissue (BAT), is a special type of fat that produces heat instead of storing energy. It is packed with mitochondria — tiny energy generators that give it a brownish color because of their iron content.
In adults, brown fat is found mostly around the neck, shoulders, spine, and kidneys. It becomes active in cold environments and sometimes after meals, creating warmth through a process called non-shivering thermogenesis.
Researchers believe brown fat activity may partly explain why some people feel a surge of warmth or flushing after eating. (frontiersin.org)

Blood Flow & Skin Flushing

Digestion redistributes blood toward the gut. Sometimes, small vessels in the face dilate (vasodilation), producing warmth or redness. The nervous system also plays a role: gustatory stimuli (taste) can activate sympathetic nerves that induce flushing or sweating. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

What Makes the Facial Heat More Noticeable

Spicy Foods, Alcohol & Hot Beverages

  • Capsaicin (in spicy foods) triggers heat receptors and dilates blood vessels.
  • Alcohol often causes facial flushing via vasodilation (so-called “alcohol flush”).
  • Hot beverages (coffee, tea, soups) increase body temperature and amplify the effect.

Meal Size & Nutrient Composition

When the Heat Might Signal Something Else

Rosacea

A chronic skin condition in which temperature or dietary triggers provoke persistent facial flushing and redness.

Auriculotemporal (Frey’s) Syndrome / Gustatory Flushing

Some people experience localized facial flushing tied to eating, caused by abnormal nerve responses. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Hormonal, Metabolic, or Endocrine Conditions

  • Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) can heighten sensitivity to heat.
  • Reactive hypoglycemia (blood sugar dips) may trigger flushing, sweating, or warmth.
  • Rarely, carcinoid syndrome (a neuroendocrine disorder) can present with flushing.

Allergies or Food Intolerances

Mild immune or histamine responses to certain ingredients might trigger warmth, redness, or flushing.

What You Can Observe & Record

  • Which specific foods or drinks trigger the heat (e.g. spicy, hot, alcohol).
  • Whether redness, sweating, palpitations, dizziness, or other symptoms appear.
  • How often it happens, how quickly it starts, and how long it lasts.
  • Whether it ever occurs without clear dietary triggers.

Patterns help distinguish normal digestion effects from more serious causes.

When to Consult a Doctor

Consider medical advice if:

  • The facial heat is frequent, intense, or worsening.
  • It comes with additional symptoms: rapid heartbeat, dizziness, rash, digestive discomfort.
  • It occurs even after mild meals or with no obvious trigger.

A doctor may test blood sugar, thyroid function, hormone levels, skin health, or refer to a specialist.

Sources

  • Diet Induced Thermogenesis (PubMed Central) — review of how meals increase energy expenditure.
  • Diet-induced thermogenesis: fake friend or foe? — discussion of measurement and physiological meaning.
  • The Role of Brown Adipose Tissue in Energy Metabolism (Frontiers in Endocrinology) — research on how brown fat generates heat.
  • Facial Flushing with Food: The Auriculotemporal Syndrome (PubMed Central) — case studies on gustatory flushing.
  • The Thermic Effect of Food: A Review (PubMed) — overview of how different macronutrients influence post-meal heat.
  • Skin Flushing or Blushing: Everything You Need To Know (YouTube) — verified video explaining causes of facial redness and flushing. Watch here

2025.10.11 – How Euroinnova Business School Works, What It Delivers, and What to Watch Out For

The Identity and Educational Model

Euroinnova Business School S.L. operates online from Maracena, Granada, as a private education provider. Its Fiscal Identification Number (CIF/NIF – Corporate/Individual Fiscal Identification Number) is B18715144. Under Spain’s National Classification of Economic Activities (CNAE – National Classification of Economic Activities) code 8559, it is categorized as “Other Education not elsewhere classified” (n.c.o.p. – not classified elsewhere), indicating it provides non-regulated educational services rather than formal university degrees.

Euroinnova promotes a vast catalog of training programs. It claims to offer over ten thousand online courses and degrees in continuing education. Yet this number is self-declared and not verified via independent audit or public registry. The offerings include short courses, postgraduate diplomas, and master’s in Continuing Education (FP – Formación Permanente), oriented to professional updating more than academic accreditation.

Degree Issuance and University Partnerships

Euroinnova is not a university and cannot itself issue officially recognized academic degrees. Instead, it collaborates with accredited universities (such as Nebrija University and UCAM) to deliver programs under continuing education frameworks. These programs may award credits under the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS – European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System), where one credit corresponds to approximately 25–30 hours of student work.

Official state-recognized degrees—those enabling access to doctorates—must appear in the Registry of Universities, Centres and Degrees (RUCT – Registro de Universidades, Centros y Títulos) managed by Spain’s Ministry of Science. Euroinnova is not listed there.

What “Homologated” and “Baremable” Mean in Practice

Terms like “homologated” and “baremable” are heavily used in marketing, but they require context:

  • A homologated course typically means it is endorsed or validated by a university partner; it does not necessarily become an official degree.
  • A baremable course may allow you to score merit points in certain public sector examinations—but only if the specific job announcement or government body accepts it under its rules.

Thus, a course may be homologated yet not baremable in your particular exam, or baremable in some places but useless in others.

Staff, Scale, and Affiliations

Public sources (e.g. LinkedIn) indicate Euroinnova has around 240 staff working in roles such as tutors, content development, platform support, marketing, and IT. The company belongs to Educa Edtech Group, which highlights a five-star Online Learning rating via QS Stars (Quality Standards Stars). Being a member of AEEN (Spanish Association of Business Schools), it aligns with private business school networks. Note: QS Stars is a voluntary institutional rating system, not a formal accreditation.

Student Feedback and Transparency Issues

Euroinnova’s Trustpilot rating hovers around 4.1/5 based on more than 1,200 reviews. Many students appreciate the platform’s flexibility, but common complaints point to delays in diploma issuance, less attentive post-sale support, or app bugs.
These reviews show individual cases, not controlled studies—so they “show the case but not the statistics.” No public figures are found for graduation rates, employment outcomes, or audited quality metrics.

Consumer Recourse and Risk Mitigation

No well-documented legal scandals were found. Yet consumer complaints over certificate delays or poor support exist. In Spain, consumers can appeal via:

  • OCU (Organization of Consumers and Users)
  • FACUA (Consumers in Action), originally the “Federation of Consumer Associations of Andalusia,” founded in 1981

If you enroll, you should:

  • Clarify whether your target exam or job body accepts your course as baremable
  • Confirm the issuing university, certificate type, and timeline in writing
  • Save all marketing/promotional materials and enrollment terms for reference

Sources

2025.10.11 – How a Surreal Dream Illuminates Memory, Emotion, and Inner Change

Key Takeaways

  • Dreams after fragmented or irregular sleep intensify emotional content and metaphors.
  • Symbols like exclusion, transformation, and withheld spaces often reflect unmet emotional needs.
  • REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep binds memory, emotion, and subconscious processing.
  • This dream suggests resilience, introspection, and an inner movement toward growth.

Story & Interpretation

Emotional Narrative

The dream begins in a familiar hometown. It features a gym connected to swimming lessons once shared with a family member. Because classes were delayed, the gym was available early. A close acquaintance asks the dreamer to depart.

The scene shifts to a family gathering by grandparents. The dreamer seeks clarity on a “price difference” for classes, but the acquaintance—who is now pregnant—refuses to explain. Another figure appears, also expecting. The setting moves to an upstairs dining area where others eat; the dreamer realizes they are not invited. Walking corridors, they try to find a bathroom but fail, while laughter echoes above.

These symbols carry emotional weight:

  • The gym and swimming evoke structure, effort, and discipline.
  • Silence or refusal to explain reflects emotional distance, hidden truths, or boundaries in relationships.
  • Exclusion from meal dramatizes invisibility, rejection, or disconnect.
  • Pregnancy suggests internal transformation or new creative potential.
  • Missing bathroom illustrates emotional tension held back—needing release but blocked.

Together, the dream expresses unresolved tensions through metaphor, rather than through direct statements.

REM Sleep and Dream Mechanisms

This dream’s vividness aligns with REM sleep dynamics. After an evening nap (≈ 5.5 hours), the dreamer slept again from 1:30 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. (Netherlands time). During this phase, REM likely dominated.

In REM, emotional and memory-processing brain areas (like the amygdala and hippocampus) activate strongly. Motor systems remain suppressed. The activation-synthesis hypothesis explains how random neural signals are interpreted into cohesive narrative by higher brain regions. This helps turn emotional residue into story.

Awakening from REM often enhances dream recall. In fact, REM generally comprises about 20–25 % of total sleep time in adults. 0
REM also contributes to memory consolidation, emotional balancing, and integration of daily experience. 1

Psychological Perspective

This dream reveals a psyche in transformation. Emotional conflicts center around:

  • Belonging vs. exclusion
  • Desire for clarity vs. silence or avoidance
  • Emerging change vs. fear of instability
  • Emotional release vs. internal blockage

Rather than pathology, the dream shows signs of psychic competence: insight, symbolic integration, and coherence. The individual demonstrates the capacity to transform internal tension into narrative and meaning.

Cognitively, the dreamer retains structure, reflection, and awareness. Affectively, the dream evokes vulnerability, longing, and relational sensitivity. The psyche appears intact, expressive, and working through challenges symbolically.

Definitions

Oniric
Refers to anything related to dreams. In psychology, oniric content is the symbolic expression of the unconscious during sleep.

REM (Rapid Eye Movement)
A sleep phase characterized by rapid eye movements, vivid dreaming, and high brain activity, with muscle atonia to prevent acting out dreams.

Sources

2025.10.11 – How Anti-Fog Safety Glasses Work and Which Models Actually Deliver

Key Takeaways

  • The Spanish phrase “gafas de seguridad antiempañantes” translates to “anti-fog safety glasses”.
  • Anti-fog safety eyewear does exist, and quality versions can perform effectively, though results depend on design and care.
  • The coating’s nature, frame ventilation, and maintenance are critical to performance.
  • Well-known brands such as 3M, Bollé, Honeywell, DeWalt, Stanley offer models with proven anti-fog capabilities.
  • Proper cleaning and handling are essential to preserve the anti-fog effect over time.

Translations & Technical Terms

Translation of Spanish phrase

  • “gafas de seguridad antiempañantes” → “anti-fog safety glasses” (translated from Spanish).

Alternative English terms

  • anti-fog protective glasses — more formal variant.
  • anti-fog safety goggles — when the eyewear fully encloses the eyes (e.g. lab or workshop style).

How Anti-Fog Coatings Work

Anti-fog safety glasses use special surface treatments (coatings) that prevent moisture from condensing into visible droplets. Instead, the moisture forms a thin, transparent film.

Two general types exist:

  • Permanent, factory-applied coatings (bonded during manufacture).
  • Temporary treatments, such as sprays or wipes applied by the user.

The effectiveness depends heavily on how durable and well-applied the coating is, as well as on usage and cleaning methods.

Do They Truly Exist and Function?

Yes — anti-fog safety glasses are real products used in industrial, laboratory, and construction environments. Their performance is practically validated by users dealing with humidity, temperature changes, and challenging settings.

With strong coatings (especially factory-bonded ones) and proper care, the lenses maintain clarity even as temperature and humidity vary, or when worn in combination with masks or respirators.

Quality, Durability & Care

The key to sustained anti-fog performance lies in preserving the coating. Some guiding practices:

  • Avoid aggressive soaps, alcohol, or rough cloths.
  • Rinse lightly with water and dry using soft microfiber materials.
  • Reapply anti-fog solutions if using temporary coatings, following manufacturer instructions.
  • Choose frame designs with good airflow or edge sealing to limit internal fogging.

Recommended Brands & Models

Here are examples of models recognized for effective anti-fog features:

  • 3M Solus 2000 (with Scotchgard™ anti-fog)
  • 3M Solus 1000 (Scotchgard)
  • 3M SecureFit 400
  • Bollé SILEX PSI
  • Honeywell Millennia
  • DeWalt Concealer DPG82
  • Bollé Rush+
  • Stanley Safety Glasses

Many 3M models incorporate the Scotchgard™ Protector anti-fog coating, delivering better resistance to fogging and durability. (verified via 3M product pages) 0

Buying Checklist: What Actually Matters

To get anti-fog glasses that truly work:

  • Favor permanent coatings over removable or film-based ones.
  • Confirm safety standards such as ANSI Z87.1 (American) or EN 166 (European).
  • Look for frame features that promote ventilation or airflow control.
  • Ensure compatibility with masks, helmets, or headgear without trapping moisture.
  • Handle and clean the lenses gently to avoid damaging the coatings.

Conclusions

Anti-fog safety glasses are not just a marketing gimmick — they are genuine tools that work well when engineered with quality coatings and treated carefully. While inexpensive models may lose the effect quickly, premium options from established brands (notably with Scotchgard™ or equivalent treatments) deliver lasting clarity and protection.

Sources

2025.10.11 – How to Spot and React to a Phishing SMS from “MijnOverheid” – Verified Warnings and Official Dutch Sources

Key Takeaways

Fraudulent text messages claiming to be from MijnOverheid—the Dutch government’s digital communication portal—have been circulating, directing people to fake websites such as nl-bericht.net to “update personal data.”
These are phishing attempts aimed at stealing login credentials or financial details.
You should never click on these links, always verify through official channels, and report suspicious messages to the proper authorities.
Official Dutch government websites confirm these scams and provide detailed guidance on what to do.

Message and Analysis

The fake SMS typically reads:

“Berichtenbox | MijnOverheid … update your personal data via nl-bericht.net.” (translated from Dutch)

This message is a classic phishing pattern.
The domain name nl-bericht.net is not owned by the Dutch government.
Official portals such as MijnOverheid, DigiD (Digital Identification of the Netherlands), and Rijksoverheid (Dutch National Government) always use domains ending in .overheid.nl, .digid.nl, or .rijksoverheid.nl.

Government agencies have made it clear:

  • MijnOverheid never sends messages containing direct links or QR codes.
  • The government never asks you to confirm or update your personal information via text message or email.
  • Any request to “verify,” “update,” or “check” your data through a link is an attempt to trick you into revealing personal or banking details.

These phishing messages often imitate the appearance of official notifications, including the same tone and layout used by genuine MijnOverheid alerts. However, the link always redirects to a fake website designed to steal your login credentials.

Response & Guidance

If you receive such an SMS, take the following actions immediately:

  1. Do not click on the link.
  2. Delete the message and block the sender.
  3. Report the message by forwarding it to:
  • valse-email@fraudehelpdesk.nl — The official Dutch Fraud Helpdesk.
  • valse-email@digid.nl — DigiD’s own phishing report address.
  1. If you already clicked or provided information:
  • Change your DigiD password immediately.
  • Enable two-factor authentication via the DigiD app.
  • Notify your bank if any financial information was shared.
  • Monitor your bank statements for unusual activity.

Authorities stress that real government messages never contain clickable links.
You should always access your messages by typing https://mijn.overheid.nl directly into your browser or through the official Berichtenbox app.

Official Verifications

Multiple Dutch authorities have issued official statements confirming the rise of phishing messages imitating MijnOverheid:

These official statements all agree: if a message asks you to click a link or share data, it is a scam.

Sources & References

2025.10.11 – How to Confidently Accept a Bid and Complete a Safe Sale on Marktplaats Without Falling for Scams

Key Takeaways

  • Keep all communication and transactions strictly inside the Marktplaats platform.
  • Use official tools like “Accept bid,” “Send payment request,” or “Ship via Marktplaats.”
  • Never click links received by email, WhatsApp, or text message.
  • Confirm the payment before handing over or shipping your item.
  • Trust the platform’s own warnings—they are there to protect you.

Narrative with Details

Platform Warning & Common Scam Patterns

Marktplaats regularly shows alerts such as:

“Let contact run via Marktplaats Messages.”
“Never share your email address or phone number via chat.”
(Translated from Dutch)

These warnings appear when a user or buyer tries to move communication off the platform.

The most common scam patterns include:

  • Asking to continue by email or WhatsApp.
  • Sending fake payment confirmations or false “proof of transfer.”
  • Sharing suspicious links that imitate Marktplaats or shipping companies like PostNL.
  • Asking for a “small verification payment” to steal your bank data.

How to Accept and Complete a Sale Safely

Step 1: Keep communication inside Marktplaats

Stay within Marktplaats Messages for every exchange. It keeps the process verifiable and safe.

Step 2: Accept the bid properly

Select “Accepteer bod” (translated as “Accept bid”) within the platform to confirm the agreed price. This step does not move any money yet—it just records your acceptance.

Step 3: Choose a secure way to complete the transaction

Option A: Meet in person (local pickup)
  • Meet in a public and well-lit area.
  • The buyer can pay cash or send an instant iDEAL transfer.
  • Only give the item once the payment has cleared in your account or is in your hand.
Option B: Use Marktplaats’s integrated payment and shipping system
  • Use “Verzend via Marktplaats” (translated as “Ship via Marktplaats”) or “Betaalverzoek versturen” (translated as “Send payment request”).
  • Payment is handled through the Marktplaats partner system and held safely until delivery is confirmed.
  • You receive a trackable shipping label to send the item via PostNL or another courier.
  • Both parties can follow the progress and payment status within the chat.

Step 4: Ignore external payment links

Any payment request that takes you outside the platform—especially through email or text—should be ignored. Real Marktplaats payments never require you to visit another website.

More Safety Tips

  • Save screenshots and chat records of the entire exchange.
  • Be cautious if the buyer is in a hurry or offers to “overpay.”
  • Never agree to “verification transfers” (for example, €0.01).
  • Always double-check the web address: official Marktplaats pages start with https://www.marktplaats.nl/.
  • If a problem arises, report the user through Marktplaats Help and contact local authorities for online fraud if needed.

Verified YouTube Example

“Veilig handelen op Marktplaats – Tips” (“Safe trading on Marktplaats – Tips,” translated from Dutch)
By Consumentenbond — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H19fkJKZ8Ak
This verified video explains how to recognize scams and safely complete transactions on Marktplaats.

Terms & Translations

“Accepteer bod”

Translation: “Accept bid.”

“Verzend via Marktplaats”

Translation: “Ship via Marktplaats.”

“Betaalverzoek versturen”

Translation: “Send payment request.”

Conclusions

Safe selling on Marktplaats depends on one golden rule: never step outside the official platform. Accept the bid through “Accepteer bod,” use the integrated payment and shipping options, and confirm the payment before releasing your item. Avoid external links or off-platform communication, and rely on the tools Marktplaats provides—they exist to protect both seller and buyer.

Sources

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