Belfius taken to criminal court after refusing to compensate phishing victim
Belfius risks becoming the first Belgian bank to face criminal conviction following a phishing case. The trial begins on 30 November before the Brussels correctional court.
Belfius before criminal court over phishing dispute
Belfius may become the first bank in Belgium to face criminal court. According to DHnet, which refers to reporting in L'Echo and De Tijd, a customer who fell victim to phishing has sued the bank before the French-speaking correctional court of Brussels. The trial opens on 30 November.
The law requires banks to compensate phishing victims immediately. In practice, institutions frequently refuse to do so, according to their own claims, arguing that the customer authorised the transaction or showed gross negligence.
Victims are therefore often forced to pursue a civil procedure to recover their money. In this case, the customer involved chose an additional step: filing a criminal complaint. A payment service provider that fails to comply with statutory rules in cases of fraud thereby commits a criminal offence.
Belfius confirms the existence of the procedure but provides no further explanation. The bank risks a fine of several thousand euros up to a percentage of its annual turnover.
Source: DHnet