Belgium Financial Services and Markets Authority warns against fraudulent trading platforms promoted through fake bank CEO interviews and updates its blacklist

Belgium Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) issued a public warning about fraudulent trading platforms that lure investors online with promises of quick and easy earnings. The alert highlights scams that use images of CEOs of major banks in staged “interviews” promoting a purported “revolutionary” system that claims investors can get rich quickly starting with an investment of EUR 250. The FSMA described how victims are approached via fake celebrity adverts, fake CEO interviews, recruitment websites, social media or dating app profiles, or invitations to WhatsApp and Telegram trading groups. After registration and an initial deposit, fraudsters may seek remote access to a victim’s device, manipulate trading displays to show fictitious profits, apply pressure tactics to prompt further deposits, and then block withdrawals with pretexts such as costs or taxes; some schemes are structured as pyramids that collapse once recruitment slows. The FSMA named multiple websites it says put consumers in contact with fraudulent trading platforms and published an expanded list of platforms it strongly advises consumers not to engage with, noting that the blacklist is non-exhaustive and updated frequently; it also directs consumers to verify authorisation status via its “Check your provider” page and outlines steps for victims including stopping transactions, contacting their bank, reporting to the FSMA and police, preserving evidence, and avoiding “recovery room” scams.