Belgium €23 million scam warning: Fake trading platforms become the hardest-hit area

【CryptoWorld】Recently, the Belgian financial regulatory authorities released a concerning set of statistics. By the second half of 2025, local consumers have lost over €23 million on investment scams and illegal financial products, a figure far more serious than most people imagine.

The most shocking is the fraud involving fake cryptocurrency trading platforms, which alone caused losses of over €10.5 million. Following closely are stock investment scams conducted via WhatsApp, which resulted in approximately €9.5 million in losses. These two types of scams account for about 88% of the total losses, highlighting the areas where scammers most frequently strike.

Even more noteworthy is that, during the same period, regulatory authorities received 1,622 consumer complaints related to illegal financial products. This not only indicates an increase in scam cases but also reflects a more dangerous trend—the average loss per victim has risen to about €73,000. In other words, scammers are becoming greedier and more cunning.

Regulatory agencies have taken proactive measures, issuing warnings to 240 scam entities and 316 websites. Of these, 65% are directly related to fake trading platforms, enough to show that this sector has become a hotspot for cybercrime. Relevant departments are now urging consumers to remain highly vigilant against any unsolicited investment opportunities—especially those promising high returns and promoting “quick wealth” schemes.