The Belgium Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) issued a public warning about fraud schemes that start on dating apps and migrate to messaging or social media channels, where victims are pressured into “guaranteed” get-rich-quick cryptocurrency investments via specific trading platforms. The FSMA describes a typical pattern in which scammers cultivate a relationship, boast of personal wealth, and then promote a trading platform as a low-risk route to easy profits. It urges consumers not to send money to people met only online, to avoid sharing identity documents or payment details, and to treat unknown contacts and added chat or trading groups with suspicion, noting that artificial intelligence can facilitate fake profiles and videos. Before investing, individuals should verify that any platform or provider is authorized by the FSMA, check whether the website is newly created (for example via a Whois search), and consult the FSMA website for authorizations and warnings, while being mindful of identity theft through “cloned firms” and that the published list of fraudulent companies is not exhaustive. For suspected or confirmed victims, the FSMA advises stopping transactions and contact with the fraudsters, informing their bank immediately, reporting the fraud to the FSMA and the police, preserving evidence of communications and transactions, and remaining alert to follow-on “recovery room” scams that charge fees to supposedly retrieve lost funds.

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