Spread of Online Fraud in Belgium via Apps That Appear Official

Belgium has witnessed a worrying rise in cyber fraud, with new scams targeting smartphone users through apps that appear official and trustworthy but are in reality malicious programs.

Public prosecutor offices in both Antwerp and Limburg, in cooperation with the federal judicial police, issued an official warning about a new wave of phishing operations that have victimized dozens over the past weeks.

These operations rely on sending messages via SMS, WhatsApp, or email, containing links that appear to be from official institutions or well-known companies, prompting users to click on them.

Upon opening the link, users are asked to download an app that seems legitimate but is actually malicious, allowing hackers to take control of the device.

Belgian authorities indicate that such apps give attackers near-complete access to the phone’s contents, including contacts, photos, personal files, stored passwords, keystroke logging, digital activity surveillance, and the ability to perform financial transactions without the user’s knowledge.

Police and public prosecutors confirmed that more than 80 cases related to this type of fraud were recorded in just a few weeks in the Antwerp and Limburg regions, reflecting the severity and spread of the phenomenon.

Authorities urged users to exercise caution when dealing with any message containing a link to download an app, and to verify official sources before installing any program to avoid falling victim to these cyber scams.

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