Hang up on any caller who asks for a code, a password or a payment, even when your screen shows the real number of your bank, because that number can be faked. This trick is called spoofing, and it was behind more than 74 million of the 103 million fraudulent calls that Belgian operators blocked in the first half of 2026. Since the end of 2024, Belgian law requires operators to block calls from abroad that show a Belgian number, and in 2026 the government approved a second measure to protect the numbers of banks and other companies. This guide explains what spoofing is, what the new rules block and what they do not, how to block spoofed calls on your gsm and where to report them in Belgium.
What is spoofing?
Spoofing is when a scammer changes the number that appears on your screen, so the call seems to come from someone you trust. The scammer does not need access to the real phone line: the fake number is simply sent along with the call. The same technique is used in other kinds of phone fraud.
Term | What it means |
|---|---|
Spoofing (caller ID spoofing) | A call or message shows a fake number or sender name |
Vishing | Voice phishing: a scammer calls you to get codes, passwords or money |
Smishing | SMS phishing: a text message with a link to a fake website |
A familiar number on your screen proves nothing. The Belgian regulator BIPT warns that the number you see does not automatically mean the caller is genuine.
What the Belgian anti spoofing law changes
Belgian operators must block calls from abroad that show a Belgian number, and that is the only anti spoofing measure already active. A second measure has been approved but has not started yet.
Measure | Status | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
Royal Decree of 12 May 2024 | In force since the end of 2024, for landline and mobile numbers | Calls from abroad that show a Belgian number are blocked by your operator |
Do not originate list | Approved by the government on 30 May 2026, no registration open yet | Numbers that only receive calls, such as a bank helpline, can no longer appear as a caller |
The first measure has exceptions, so legitimate calls still get through. A Belgian who is roaming abroad can still call home with their own number, and companies using approved call centres or cloud phone systems abroad can still call you with a Belgian number.
What the law does not stop
Expect spoofed calls to keep coming, because the rules make spoofing harder without ending it. A spoofed call can still reach you when it starts inside Belgium with a number that is not on the protected list, when it shows a foreign number, or when it comes through WhatsApp or another app, where operators have little control. The do not originate list also does not cover SMS, so a text message can still show the name of your bank.
How to recognise a spoofed call
Judge a call by what the caller asks for, not by the number on your screen. Hang up as soon as you hear one of these requests.
What the scammer asks | What a real bank or authority does |
|---|---|
A code from your card reader, itsme or your banking app | Never asks for your codes by phone |
Install an app or share your screen | Never asks for remote access to your gsm |
Move your money to a "safe account" | Never moves your money to protect it |
Act now, because your account has been hacked | Gives you time and lets you call back |
Personal details "for the police, BIPT, Safeonweb or Fraudstop" | Does not call you to collect personal details |
Your bank will never ask for your codes by phone. If you are not sure, hang up and call your bank back on the number on your bankkaart or on its official website.
How to block spoofed and unwanted calls
Block the number on your phone after a suspicious call, and silence unknown callers if the calls keep coming. Do not block the official number of your own bank, because then its real calls will not reach you either.
Phone | Block one number | Silence or filter unknown calls |
|---|---|---|
iPhone | Phone, Recents, tap the ⓘ next to the number, Block Caller | Settings, Apps, Phone, Screen Unknown Callers, Silence |
Samsung | Phone, Recents, tap the number, Block | Phone, three dots, Settings, Block numbers, Block calls from unknown numbers |
Google Pixel | Phone, Recents, tap the number, Block/report spam | Phone, three dots, Settings, Caller ID and spam, Filter spam calls |
Blocking one number only stops that number, and scammers change numbers all the time. That is why reporting matters just as much: every report helps operators and the authorities recognise new campaigns faster.
How to report spoofing in Belgium
Forward suspicious calls and messages to Safeonweb, and call Fraudstop straight away if you shared bank details. The table shows where to report each situation.
What happened | Where to report |
|---|---|
Suspicious call or SMS, no harm done | Forward the message or a screenshot to suspicious@safeonweb.be |
You shared bank details or codes | Call Fraudstop on 078 170 170, available 24/7, then your bank |
You lost money | Report it to the police at your local police station or through Police on Web |
A misleading company or offer | Report it to the federal reporting point ConsumerConnect |
Your own number is being spoofed | Contact your operator and file a report with the police |
Scammers also pretend to be Fraudstop, so always dial 078 170 170 yourself and never call back a number that a caller gives you.
What to do if your own number is spoofed
Tell your operator, file a police report so there is an official record, and warn your contacts on social media or WhatsApp that calls from your number may not come from you. You cannot technically stop someone from showing your number, but these steps limit the damage. Since the Royal Decree, calls from abroad that misuse a Belgian mobile number are blocked, which removes a large part of the problem.
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FAQ
What is spoofing?
Spoofing is a scam technique in which a criminal fakes the phone number or sender name that appears on your screen, so the call or message seems to come from a bank, a company or someone you know. The goal is to make you trust the caller and share codes, passwords or money.
What is caller ID spoofing?
Caller ID spoofing is the specific form of spoofing in which the number shown during a phone call is fake. The scammer does not use the real phone line of the number shown, but sends a different number along with the call.
Is spoofing illegal in Belgium?
Using a fake number to deceive or defraud someone is fraud and is punishable in Belgium. Since the Royal Decree of 12 May 2024, Belgian operators are also legally required to block calls from abroad that show a Belgian number, with exceptions for legitimate cases such as Belgians who are roaming.
Does the Belgian anti spoofing law block fake SMS messages?
No, the Belgian anti spoofing rules apply to phone calls, not to SMS. Operators do filter fraudulent text messages separately, and blocked 7.2 million of them in the first half of 2026, but a text that shows the name of your bank can still be fake.
Where do I report a spoofed call in Belgium?
Forward suspicious messages or screenshots to suspicious@safeonweb.be. If you shared bank details or codes, call Fraudstop on 078 170 170 straight away, and if you lost money, file a report with the police.
Will my bank call me and ask for my codes?
No, Belgian banks never ask for your card reader codes, passwords or itsme confirmation by phone. If a caller asks for them, hang up and call your bank yourself on the number on your bankkaart.
Can I stop someone from spoofing my number?
You cannot block the use of your number yourself, but you can report it to your operator and the police and warn your contacts. Calls from abroad that misuse a Belgian number are blocked by Belgian operators since the end of 2024.
