The Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium, together with its partners, is launching a major awareness campaign to warn against online criminals
Today, the Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium (CCB), together with the FSMA, Febelfin, the FPS Economy, the Cyber Security Coalition and the police prevention services, is launching an awareness campaign via Safeonweb on a scale unprecedented in our country. The campaign aims to raise public awareness of fake online investments. This fraud technique cost Belgians €15 million in losses in the first half of the year. The new campaign coincides with both World Investor Week and European Cyber Security Month, and emphasises the importance of digital vigilance.
Limited companies giving investment advice via deepfake videos or a 'friend' who asks you online to join an investment scheme and promises extremely high returns: these are just a few examples of how investment fraudsters are trying to deceive you these days. In the first half of this year, fraudsters already swindled unsuspecting Belgians out of 15 million euros through fake online investments. This is according to the latest figures from the FSMA . Compatriots who fell victim to online investment fraud lost an average of around 37,777 euros each this year.
People over 50 and men are most often the victims of online investment fraud. Two out of three (65.9%) victims are men. Two out of three are also over 50. The technique that fraudsters have used to make the most money this year is fake online trading platforms. On such platforms, individuals appear to be able to trade shares, bonds, ETFs, options or cryptocurrencies themselves, but in reality they are only transferring money to the fraudsters' accounts. The second most common form of online investment fraud is fraud via recovery rooms, where scammers offer to 'help' you recover lost money.
To prevent more Belgians from falling victim to such fraud, the FSMA is stepping up its actions. In the first half of the year, it warned about 138 fraudulent websites and asked the judicial authorities to block them. In May, the FSMA also joined the Belgian Anti Phishing Shield (BAPS), an initiative of the CCB. As a result, anyone who visits a fraudulent website is redirected to a web page with a warning. This new approach has been very successful: since 15 May, the FSMA has entered 121 domain names of fraudulent websites; as a result, 11,590 unique IP addresses ended up on the FSMA warning page instead of on a fraudulent website.
The CCB's new awareness campaign is an additional initiative to raise awareness among Belgians about this type of fraud.
High figures call for a larger awareness campaign
This year, the Belgian Cybersecurity Centre is joining forces with an unprecedented number of government agencies and partner organisations to launch a new Safeonweb campaign to warn Belgians about online investment fraud. The FSMA, Febelfin, the FPS Economy, the Cyber Security Coalition, the federal police and local police zones, cities and municipalities, and the Walloon Agence du Numérique, among others, are all helping to spread the message. This is because the high figures for online investment fraud require an even greater, more coordinated approach than in previous years.
About the campaign: Bill, the money bag
The campaign tells the story of Bill, a well-filled money bag who enthusiastically invests in a fake platform. In the end, he is literally broke. The advert is being broadcast on TV, in cinemas and online. The campaign is shared annually by hundreds of partners, which means it will also be visible in public services, schools, banks and on the streets.
Séverine Waterbley, Chair of the Executive Committee of the FPS Economy, adds: "The FPS Economy enthusiastically supports the Safe On Web 2025 campaign. Protecting consumers is one of our core missions. That is why the fight against fraud is an absolute priority for our FPS. This requires close and regular cooperation between all supervisory authorities. Only in this way can it be truly effective. That is why the FPS Economy recently launched an innovative collaboration with the Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium. This enables us to quickly block access to fraudulent websites and thus prevent new victims, pending a more in-depth investigation."
Outsmart the scammers with these tips:
- Unsolicited contact?
Are you being contacted by telephone, e-mail or social media? Be extra vigilant. - Check the provider.
Do they have a licence or are they on the blacklist? - Remain critical.
Have you received an unexpectedly attractive offer? Do not be misled. Stay calm. Think carefully. Ask questions. - Understand what you are investing in.
No clear product or explanation? Then it's a risk. - Do not let yourself be rushed.
Do not make any hasty payments. Take the time to investigate the offer. - Protect your personal data.
Never share your identity or bank details without good reason. - Strange payment request?
Do you need to transfer money to a foreign account or via crypto? Alarm bells!
More info
Press contacts
For Safeonweb:
- Katrien Eggers: 0485 76 53 36, katrien.eggers@ccb.belgium.be
- Michele Rignanese: 0477 38 87 50, michele.rignanese@ccb.belgium.be
For the FSMA:
- Jim Lannoo: 02 220 57 06, press@fsma.be
About World Investor Week and European Cyber Security Month
- European Cyber Security Month is an initiative of ENISA and the European Commission to raise public awareness of cyber threats and digital security.
- World Investor Week is an international campaign by IOSCO to inform investors worldwide about safe and responsible investing.
