Fraud is unfortunately becoming more and more common. Recently, we told you about this fraud involving fake ORES agents and this Monday, the Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) is launching an appeal concerning a new type of fraud.
In recent months, she has observed several cases of identity theft of Belgian banks by German-speaking fraudsters. Scammers are thus making their customers believe that their product offering is legitimate, she warned on Monday, urging consumers to be careful.
Concretely, these fraudsters use the names of Belgian banks to make their customers believe that they have all the legitimacy to offer term accounts. They fraudulently use the names and other legal information of intermediaries, most of them regulated in Germany or Switzerland, to try to convince that they are indeed authorized. They then make consumers believe that they are opening a term account with a Belgian bank.
According to the FSMA, scammers use very detailed documentation to give the appearance that they are acting in the name and on behalf of this bank. They frequently offer discounts or bonuses for their customers. Consumers are thus misled, thinking they are dealing with regulated players.
In some cases, a website is even created by the fraudsters, with an internet address corresponding to the name of the intermediary whose identity is stolen.
To avoid these pitfalls, the financial sector regulator recommends checking the contact details listed on the websites of the various regulators concerning these companies and using online search engines to ensure that there is not another website in the name of the authorized company. The FSMA also urges caution if the caller claims to represent a bank established in Belgium but is calling with a foreign telephone number.
“If your interlocutor invites you to pay money into an account opened in the name of another person or company, this is a clear indicator of fraud,” summarizes the Authority. If in doubt, consumers can contact it via the website www.fsma.be/fr/questions-sur-la-fraude-linvestment.
Belgium
