Teen Phishers Stole €200K from 80 Victims in Belgian Marketplace Scam
Two teenagers from West Flanders, aged just 18 at the time of their crimes, stole approximately €200,000 from at least 80 victims across Belgium through a sophisticated phishing operation targeting sellers on second-hand marketplace platforms. The suspects, identified as S.M. from Bruges and I.L. from Ichtegem — now 23 — will face trial at the correctional court in Bruges on September 16, 2026, where they risk up to five years in prison.
How the Scheme Worked
The pair’s modus operandi was chillingly simple yet effective. Posing as interested buyers on 2dehands.be and Facebook Marketplace, they contacted sellers offering high-value items such as cars, expensive handbags, and vacuum cleaners. Using a profile photo of what appeared to be an ordinary couple, they built trust through WhatsApp conversations, claiming to be abroad and offering to pay a deposit to reserve the item.
Once the seller agreed, the suspects sent a link that mimicked the branding and slogan of 2dehands.be’s secure payment system. Victims who clicked the link and followed the steps unwittingly granted the phishers access to their bank accounts. Funds were rapidly drained via Payconiq and used for purchases at Bol.com, with money also funneled to accounts in Eastern Europe using QR codes and digital currencies.
A Fake Identity and a Traffic Accident
The perpetrators used the alias “Joren Brabants” — a person who does not exist in the Belgian population register. This fake identity’s phone number was linked to 70 different fraud cases, and a fabricated address in Oostkamp was used repeatedly. The police later confirmed that an elderly woman in her eighties lived at that address and had never heard of the non-existent Joren Brabants.
The scheme unraveled on September 5, 2021, when the pair crashed a VW Polo in Torhout. Police found S.M. at the wheel without a license, under the influence of drugs. Inside the car, officers discovered packages that led them to A.S., an Afghan refugee in Torhout who had been receiving deliveries for the pair in exchange for €10 to €20 per package. A.S., now 25, is charged with membership in a criminal organization and receiving stolen goods.
Lavish Spending and Criminal Records
Investigators calculated that S.M. earned €63,000 from the operation, while I.L. netted €197,000. I.L. reportedly lived lavishly, spending on luxury hotels, expensive clothing, and gambling. Both had extensive juvenile records: S.M. for theft, threats, vandalism, and drugs; I.L. for arson, extortion, and assault. Devices belonging to I.L. were found hidden in a false ceiling at his home.
In a striking detail from the investigation, I.L. mocked one victim who had blocked his account too late, messaging: “You blocked your account too late, buddy. I already have your money. Send me a nice photo of your wife and I’ll transfer a small amount back.”
A Growing Youth Cybercrime Epidemic
This case is emblematic of a troubling trend across Belgium. Cybermagistrate Catherine Van de Heyning of the Antwerp Public Prosecutor’s Office noted in September 2025 that offenders can be as young as 13 or 14, with some gangs making €250,000 in a single weekend. “Sometimes we struggle to find a single adult in the groups we bust,” she told VRT NWS.
Phishing has become increasingly accessible, with perpetrators downloading apps and following YouTube tutorials. Van de Heyning warned that the phenomenon is now intertwined with organized drug crime, as gangs recruit young people for both drug trafficking and cyber fraud. In Antwerp province alone, families lost €60 million to phishing in 2025, with 7,500 complaints filed.
The AI Threat and New Defenses
Victims’ lawyer Abderrahim Lahlali, who represents a man from Ronse who lost €1,547.13 in the scheme, warned that the problem will escalate with artificial intelligence. “Such practices are spreading like the plague,” Lahlali told HLN. “I fear it will get even worse with the rise of AI.” Cybermagistrate Van de Heyning echoed this concern, noting that AI-generated voice cloning and automated calling systems could enable scammers to call thousands of victims simultaneously.
On the same day this story broke, Belgian banks launched “Fraudstop,” a centralized hotline (078/170.170) providing 24/7 assistance to victims of online banking fraud. The initiative, supported by Federal Minister for Consumer Protection Rob Beenders, aims to help victims quickly block their digital banking applications — though not all banks participate, with Revolut notably absent from the list.
What’s Next
The trial on September 16 will determine whether the court imposes the maximum sentence of five years or shows leniency given the perpetrators’ youth at the time of the crimes. Victims’ lawyers are seeking moral damages, though full financial recovery appears unlikely as much of the stolen money was spent on luxury goods, gambling, or funneled abroad. The case also raises open questions about unidentified accomplices — I.L. hinted at “dangerous people” involved, but refused to name them, telling investigators: “It’s your job to figure out who else is involved.”
As phishing schemes grow more sophisticated and accessible, the outcome of this trial may serve as a bellwether for how Belgium’s justice system addresses the alarming rise of youth cybercrime.