Tielt (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A convent in Tielt lost tens of thousands in an online scam, part of at least 7 convents targeted recently. Authorities warn religious communities to stay vigilant against such frauds.
As VRT News reported, Belgian convents have been targeted in an online scam in the last 2 weeks. The convent in Tielt reported the fraud to police at the end of July 2025. The scam started when a nun received a phone call from someone pretending to be a bank worker. The next day, the convent got a second call from a different person, also claiming to work at a bank.
During this call, the scammers asked the nuns to install a program on their computer. This gave the criminals remote access to the system. Using this access, the fraudsters bought items online and moved money from the convent’s bank accounts to their own. Similar thefts happened in convents in Oudenaarde and Wetteren, where tens of thousands of euros were taken.
“During the call, they asked for all the convent community’s bank card information. This allowed the perpetrators to withdraw money from the account,”
Says Luc Verbeure of the Tielt police.
What methods are scammers using to target Belgium’s convents and the Elderly?
Police say scammers seem to be targeting religious communities on purpose. Many convents house elderly residents who may have significant savings. They mentioned that the scam shows careful planning, using fake calls and remote computer control to trick victims. Investigations are ongoing. Authorities warn all vulnerable groups and religious institutions to be careful. They advise never to share bank details by phone or install unknown software.
Police advise nuns and monks to hang up on suspicious phone calls. This advice comes after scammers tricked several convents by gaining remote access to their computers to steal money. Authorities stress that careful vigilance is needed to prevent further thefts from religious communities.
According to officials, an 18-year-old man was arrested in Antwerp because of the alertness of a local jeweller. The suspect visited a jewellery store, showing interest in a luxury Breitling watch worth €9,800. When he returned the next day, he claimed to have transferred the money.
The jeweller became suspicious after noticing the payment came from a monastery account in Wetteren, one of the convents targeted in the frauds. The jeweller called the police and kept the man talking until officers arrived to arrest him. Investigators are still working to find out if the suspect is linked to all the recent scams.
How are scammers using social engineering to target Belgium’s elderly?
In 2022, a group of young men pretended to be bank workers to trick elderly people into giving their bank cards and PINs. They told victims their cards were being misused, then stole over €200,000 by withdrawing money or shopping online.
Later, in late 2024, Belgian and Dutch police arrested members of an international phone phishing gang. This group mainly operated in Belgium, using similar tricks to deceive elderly victims over the phone and the internet.
