Belgium Scams: Online, Banking & Investment Fraud Guide
Common scams in Belgium and how to report them to the CCB, Belgian Federal Police, and your bank.
Emergency number: 101 (police), 112 (emergency) — verify on official sources.
Last reviewed: 1 August 2026
Belgium experiences significant volumes of online fraud including phishing targeting banking credentials, smishing impersonating banks or bpost (the postal service), investment scams, and marketplace non-delivery. The Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium (CCB) and its public-facing platform Safeonweb.be provide guidance, threat alerts, and an incident reporting portal, and forwarding suspicious messages to Safeonweb's analysis address helps get phishing sites blocked for everyone.
Phishing here targets the tools Belgians actually use: fake itsme authentication requests, cloned bank login pages for the major institutions, Payconiq payment-link tricks on second-hand platforms like 2dehands/2ememain, and bpost customs-fee texts timed to online shopping deliveries. The follow-up call from a fake 'bank helpdesk' — sometimes spoofing the bank's real number — persuades victims to transfer to a 'safe account' or to hand over cards to a courier after 'blocking' them, a scheme that has particularly hit older customers. Belgian banks and Card Stop have streamlined blocking, but no bank ever collects cards at your door or asks you to move money for safekeeping.
Investment fraud is aggressive: cloned brokers using the names of firms authorised by the FSMA, crypto platforms advertised with fake celebrity interviews, and 'recovery room' operators who contact previous victims claiming they can retrieve lost funds for a fee — a second scam layered on the first. The FSMA publishes running warning lists that are worth checking before any transfer. WhatsApp family-impersonation messages ('Hi mama, new number') and friend-in-need requests round out the everyday threats. When money moves, call your bank at once, block cards via Card Stop if details were exposed, then file with your local police zone and report the incident to the CCB.
Common scams
- Phishing and smishing impersonating Belgian banks or bpost
- Investment and crypto fraud
- Marketplace non-delivery and overpayment scams
- Remote-access fraud via fake bank helpdesk calls
Tourist-specific scams
- Overcharging unlicensed taxis in Brussels
- Distraction theft in busy tourist areas and on public transport
- Fake accommodation listings for city and coast rentals
Online shopping scams
- Fake online shops and classified listings
- Parcel-fee smishing impersonating bpost
- Account takeover phishing targeting banking credentials
- Payconiq payment-link tricks on 2dehands/2ememain
Job scams
- Task scams via messaging apps
- Fake job offers requiring upfront document or application fees
- Money-mule recruitment of students via social media
Romance scams
- Dating-app romance and cryptocurrency investment grooming
- WhatsApp 'Hi mama' messages from a child's 'new number'
- Long-distance partners with escalating emergencies
Investment scams
- Clone broker and fake trading platforms
- Crypto and 'AI bot' investment schemes
- 'Recovery room' fraud re-targeting previous victims for retrieval fees
How to report a scam here
- Contact your bank immediately using the number on your card
- Report cybercrime incidents to the CCB via ccb.belgium.be/cert/report-incident
- Forward suspicious emails and texts to [email protected] ([email protected])
- File a police complaint online at police.be or at your local police station
- Report consumer rights violations at meldpunt.belgie.be
Local reporting & protection links
Always verify reporting routes and emergency contacts on the official government or agency website for your country.
Bank & payment guidance
Call your bank immediately on the number on your card or through its official app — Belgian banks can attempt to recall fraudulent transfers most effectively within the first few hours. Say that you were deceived into authorising the payment rather than describing it as a general query, ask for the receiving account to be reported, and note the reference number. If card details were exposed, use Card Stop to block them at once, and mention explicitly if the fraud involved a spoofed bank number or an itsme approval you were talked through — those details matter for the bank's reimbursement assessment, and the banking ombudsman (Ombudsfin) can review disputed refusals. If you shared a one-time password or let someone connect remotely to your device, mention that, stop banking on the affected device, and ask about resetting your banking access. File a police complaint so the bank has an official reference, and forward the phishing message to Safeonweb for takedown.
Evidence to preserve
- Screenshot all messages, profiles, websites and payment pages
- Save transaction references, account numbers and crypto wallet addresses
- Keep emails with full headers where possible
- Note dates, times, names and phone numbers used
Frequently asked questions
What is Safeonweb.be?
Safeonweb.be is the Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium's public awareness platform. It publishes threat alerts, advice on current scam campaigns, and allows citizens to forward suspicious emails or texts to [email protected] for analysis.
How do I report fraud to the Belgian Police?
You can file a report online at police.be or at your local police station. For cybercrime specifically, the CCB reporting portal at ccb.belgium.be/cert/report-incident handles incident notifications.
Where do I report a consumer rights violation in Belgium?
Use the ConsumerConnect reporting platform at meldpunt.belgie.be to report violations to the Economic Inspection, or contact the European Consumer Centre Belgium for cross-border issues.
Sources
- National police and cybercrime portals (verify on official sites)
- FTC / Action Fraud / Scamwatch consumer guidance