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Today is Safer Internet Day, a day on which extra warnings are issued about internet scams. Because last year, perpetrators again stole 2.4 million euros. Yet there is also good news: the number of victims is decreasing year after year. And the loot has also fallen sharply. From 10.3 million euros in 2020 to 2.4 million euros last year.

“The many years of efforts to raise awareness are starting to bear fruit,” says State Secretary for Consumer Protection Alexia Bertrand (Open VLD).

Although there is a small comment to be made about these figures: they are based on reports and not every victim does that. Because they have not noticed that they have been scammed or because they are ashamed that they have fallen into a trap.

Two a day

Despite all the warnings, an average of two people per day still lost money due to internet scams last year. The perpetrators stole an average of 4,080 euros per victim. That is also less than in the past, but it remains sad for those who are victims.

People become more alert. But perpetrators also remain inventive and move with the times, warns the FPS Economy. They now use artificial intelligence to draw up misleading messages so that they contain fewer language errors. And they have found something new again: quishing.

“That is a combination of QR code and phishing, because fraudsters encourage their victims to scan malicious QR codes,” says the Center for Cybersecurity of the FPS Home Affairs.

These codes then direct victims to phishing websites or run malicious programs. With only one purpose: to defraud people of money or personal data, Safeonweb warns.

What should you pay attention to?

Scammers have become so cunning that it is difficult to distinguish real from fake. “There are, however, a number of things you can pay attention to,” emphasizes Lien Meurisse of the FPS Economy.

“The golden rule is: obtain information about the identity of the person who sent the email. Are you in doubt? Then be sure to contact the company or institution that sent you an email or text message. Please know that your bank or any other institution will never ask you to update your details by email, text message or telephone. They also never simply ask for passwords, usernames, bank details or personal codes. So never share personal information via email, telephone or text message and never use a link to your bank’s payment site or mobile app.”

Does the email or text come unexpectedly or is the message strange? An email sent at 1am should set off alarm bells. Also check whether the email address has an unusual domain name. A government email sent from a Gmail or Hotmail account is suspicious. But at the same time, also watch out for “spoofing”: this is the imitation of an existing email address so that it appears that the email you receive really comes from that address.”

If you are a victim, inform your bank as soon as possible and call Card Stop (078/170 170) to have your bank card blocked. In addition, have your bank account blocked, as well as your account and banking app (otherwise the scammers can continue to withdraw money). By quickly contacting your bank, it may also be able to stop or recover any amounts that have not yet been transferred. Be sure to report the scam to the local police in your area and report the scam via the Hotline.