On November 12, an 83-year-old resident of Blankenberge received a fake email from Fluvius. The man clicked on the link and entered his details. Shortly afterwards he received a call from someone posing as an employee of BNP Paribas. That person took over his computer via the Anydesk program. The man was told that a bank employee would come to collect his bank card and card reader to prevent fraud. Later that day, the 25-year-old suspect collected both items, after which 5,200 euros disappeared from the victim’s account.
Arrested in Mechelen
On November 27, 2025, a 79-year-old man from Mechelen received a call from someone posing as an employee of Card Stop. Here too it was said that someone would come to collect the bank cards due to possible bank fraud. The victim became suspicious and notified the police. At the scene, the police noticed a taxi parked at the house. The police found the 25-year-old suspect in the taxi. She was arrested on the spot. The investigation showed that both facts could be linked.
25-year-old suspect arrested
After questioning, the West Flanders public prosecutor’s office decided to bring the 25-year-old woman before the investigating judge on suspicion of external hacking and computer fraud. The investigating judge decided to arrest her. She appeared before the council chamber on December 2, which confirmed her arrest. She remains in jail.