FSMA Impersonation Warning: Scammers Pose as Regulators in Recovery Room Fraud

The Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) of Belgium has issued a public warning regarding fraudsters falsely claiming to be employees or directors of the authority. These criminals are targeting individuals who have previously lost money to investment fraud, falsely offering to assist in recovering or unblocking their lost funds. This deceptive practice is known as recovery room fraud. Scammers contact consumers via unsolicited telephone calls and emails, using the official FSMA logo on fraudulent documents to appear legitimate. In exchange for their fake recovery services, they demand upfront fees, service charges, or alleged tax payments. Additionally, the perpetrators use phishing techniques to extract confidential banking data, passwords, and personal details. The regulator identified several unauthorized email addresses used in this scheme, including [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected]. The FSMA confirmed that these addresses are completely fraudulent and have no affiliation with the actual authority. The FSMA reiterated that it is a regulatory body, not a commercial financial institution. It does not provide fund recovery services, does not demand taxes or fees from the public, and will never contact consumers out of the blue to request banking credentials or PIN numbers. All legitimate emails from the authority strictly end with the domain @fsma.be. Anyone contacted by individuals claiming to represent the FSMA with fund recovery offers should cease communication immediately and report the incident to the official regulator.