Hasselt (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A victim in Hasselt, Limburg, lost €100,000 to phishing. Febelfin’s Isabelle Marchand urges victims to use 24/7 bank fraud hotlines immediately to stop transfers and recover funds.
As VRT News reported, a victim in the Hasselt, Limburg Capital Region lost €100,000 after scammers gained access to multiple bank accounts in a phishing attack. Banks say quick action is essential, as most transfers are completed within one business day. They mentioned that notifying the bank immediately can sometimes allow the transfer to be stopped or reversed before the money disappears.
“The bank’s files process these transfers at specific times. On a normal weekday, it takes a day, and a bit longer on weekends,”
says Isabelle Marchand of Febelfin.
“If you contact your bank quickly, they can still cancel the transfer.”
Isabelle Marchand, spokesperson for Febelfin
What can victims do to stop €100,000 loss from phishing in Limburg?
Authorities and banking specialists stress the importance of using the 24/7 fraud hotlines set up by banks. These numbers are different for each bank and are meant to handle urgent situations like stolen funds. Calling quickly can help banks stop transfers in progress and secure the affected accounts. It can also prevent scammers from accessing other accounts.
Once money is transferred, the victim’s bank can stop it directly. The bank will contact the beneficiary’s bank to try to recover the stolen funds.
“For example, with instant transfers, the money appears immediately in the scammer’s account,”
says Marchand.
“The same applies if you’re late and the regular transfer has already been made.”
Officials mentioned that in Belgium, this process is faster because banks have clear agreements. Recovering money from foreign banks is more difficult and can take much longer. Authorities warn that users must remain cautious at all times. Belgian banks have partnerships with some foreign banks, but contacting distant banks can take longer.
They mentioned that platforms like Itsme require extra care. Users should never approve transactions they did not start themselves. Victims of phishing must act quickly. They should report the fraud to their bank, use 24/7 fraud hotlines, secure all accounts, and monitor for suspicious activity.
Belgium has seen multiple phishing scams causing large financial losses. In 2024, scammers stole nearly €50 million, though banks recovered about three-quarters of the money. In 2020, a major attack led to 67,000 fraudulent transfers worth around €34 million. Authorities warn people to act quickly by calling their bank’s 24/7 fraud hotline and to stay cautious of unexpected money requests, even from friends or family. Febelfin, the Belgian financial sector federation, runs campaigns to inform the public and prevent online fraud.
