Concretely, this relatively recent phenomenon consists of usurping the identity of a telephone number to deceive the recipients of the calls. Fraudsters often impersonate trusted institutions, such as banks, in order to obtain sensitive financial information and commit fraud. Initially, bank numbers were mainly targeted, but the phenomenon quickly spread to all Belgian numbers, whether fixed or mobile.
One in two Belgians are victims of payment fraud
Despite the measures taken by the BIPT, including the publication in 2020 of guidelines to improve the reliability of the CLI (Calling Line Identification) and the introduction of a “black list” of blocked numbers, the volume of spoofed calls has continued to increase. These guidelines included four principles for call routing and a blacklist of phone numbers blocked if calls from abroad matched a CLI on that list.
Block numbers
“The vast majority of calls with spoofed telephone numbers are linked to calls with Belgian telephone numbers made from abroad”, indicates the BIPT. The new royal decree therefore introduces a general rule: calls made from abroad can no longer display Belgian numbers as identification of the calling line. Exceptions exist, however, for users of Belgian mobile numbers roaming abroad and certain direct marketing telephone services with Belgian geographic numbers. For companies using cloud-based call centers, they must register their Belgian numbers with their operator.
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BIPT will be responsible for actively monitoring the application of these new rules. In the event of abuse or fraud, the institute may order the blocking of the numbers concerned and revoke or suspend an operator’s right to invoke an exception.
Operators now have specific deadlines to comply with these new obligations: three months for geographic (fixed) numbers and six months for mobile numbers. This transition period should allow operators to put in place the necessary systems to block spoofed calls while ensuring continuity of services.
