How Belgium Keeps its Citizens Safe from Scams, Miguel De Bruycker, Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium - Global Anti-Scam Summit Europe 2024

How Belgium Keeps Its Citizens Safe From Scams

Date of recording: 2024-06-24

Event: Global Anti-Scam Summit Europe 2024

At the Global Anti-Scam Summit Europe 2024, Miguel De Bruycker from the Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium (CCB) discussed Belgium’s comprehensive strategies for protecting its citizens from online scams and cybersecurity threats.

De Bruycker emphasized the importance of clear leadership in cybersecurity efforts, noting the current confusion around roles and responsibilities among various sectors. He highlighted Belgium’s initiatives to tackle this issue, focusing on active cyber protection without infringing on privacy or resorting to aggressive countermeasures like hacking back.

Key initiatives include:

Suspicious Email Reporting:  Belgium's CCB receives almost 10 million suspicious emails annually through the address suspicious@safeonweb.be , providing insights into scam activities and informing their response strategies.

  • Anti-Phishing Measures:

  • Belgian Anti-Phishing Shield:  Utilizing DNS routing in collaboration with major ISPs to warn users about malicious domains.

Stop Phishing Project:  Filtering malicious SMS and emails, significantly reducing phishing attempts.

Public Awareness and Tools:

  • SafeOnWeb Browser Extension:  A browser tool that validates legitimate websites, helping users distinguish between safe and potentially harmful sites.

  • Portal and App for Scam Warnings:  Platforms to alert the public about ongoing scams.

Collaboration and Information Sharing:  De Bruycker stressed the need for cooperation among national CERTs, law enforcement, ISPs, and the financial sector to combat scams effectively. He also invited international collaboration, highlighting the unique scam patterns within different language communities in Belgium.

De Bruycker concluded by underscoring the necessity of combining various "silver egg" solutions to create a robust defense against evolving scam tactics and ensuring that Belgium stays ahead in the fight against cybercrime.

Jun 24, 2024
2 minute read
Category
Event - GASS Europe 2024 Video Presentations Industry - Consumer Protection & Authorities
Written by
Sam Rogers
Share article

Latest blogs & research

GASA Mexico Shares Scam Prevention Tips During the 2026 FIFA World Cup

GASA Mexico shares practical advice for football fans on avoiding ticketing, travel, phishing and payment scams during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Best Practices Video Region - Latin America Industry - Consumer Protection & Authorities

Watch the Global Anti-Scam Summit Europe 2026 Session Recordings

Watch keynotes, panels, workshops, working group sessions and Scam Fighter Awards recordings from the Global Anti-Scam Summit Europe 2026 in Lisbon.

Best Practices Region - Europe Topic - Fraud Prevention Topic - Data Sharing

Public-Private Partnerships in Action: Key Takeaways From the Global Anti-Scam Summit Europe 2026

Key takeaways from the Global Anti-Scam Summit Europe 2026 on how public-private partnerships can strengthen scam prevention, intelligence sharing, regulation and victim protection.

Best Practices Region - Europe Region - Global Video
nomorobo joins scam.org

Nomorobo Joins Scam.org to Shield Consumers from Fraudulent Calls and Texts

Nomorobo has joined Scam.org as a member partner, bringing call and text blocking technology into the platform to help consumers protect themselves from fraudulent communications.

News Topic - Scam Awareness Region - Global Region - North America

Scams Continue to Rise in Germany: Two in Three Adults Encountered a Scam in the Past Year

The Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), in collaboration with Worldline, has released the State of Scams Germany 2026 Report.

Report Topic - Scam Reporting Scam Trends Topic - Fraud Research
gasa webinar

Anatomy of an Investment/Crypto Scam

On 21 May, the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) hosted a webinar bringing together leading voices from the crypto industry, law enforcement, compliance, and civil society.

Region - Europe Video Topic - Fraud Policy Event - GASA Meet-Ups

ICC and GASA Publish Best Practices Framework for Combating Scam Advertising

ICC and GASA have published a best practices framework for combating scam advertising, focusing on risk-based verification, transparency, reporting and collaboration.

Best Practices Region - Global Topic - Fraud Policy Industry - Financial Authorities

Scams Surge Across the U.S.: 82% of Adults Targeted as Engagement and Losses Continue to Rise

The Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), in collaboration with Iris® Powered by Generali, has released the State of Scams USA 2026 Report.

Research News Scam Trends Region - North America