FSMA Warning: Scammers Impersonating Financial Regulator in Recovery Room Fraud

The Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) has issued a public warning regarding fraudsters falsely presenting themselves as FSMA employees. According to the regulator, these scammers are contacting victims of previous investment fraud, claiming that the FSMA can help recover or unlock their lost funds. This tactic is a classic form of recovery room fraud. To carry out the deception, the scammers demand that victims pay an upfront fee or settle an alleged regulatory tax before any funds can be released. In addition to demanding money, the fraudsters use the FSMA's official logo on forged documents and emails to conduct phishing attempts, aiming to extract sensitive personal and financial details from consumers. The impersonators reach out to individuals via telephone and email, often claiming to be staff members or senior directors at the FSMA. The regulator has identified several fraudulent email addresses used in these schemes, including [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected]. The FSMA warns that any emails sent from these or similar unofficial domains are fraudulent and should be deleted immediately without response. The FSMA emphasizes that it is a supervisory body, not a financial institution, and never provides financial services or products to the public. The authority is not authorized to recover lost investment funds, does not demand compensation or tax payments, and will never contact consumers out of the blue asking for money, passwords, or banking credentials like debit card PINs. All legitimate FSMA emails originate strictly from the domain @fsma.be, and official phone numbers begin with +32 (0)2 220. Anyone who receives unexpected contact from individuals claiming to represent the regulator should exercise extreme caution and verify their identity directly via official channels at www.fsma.be.