Belgium Allows CPAS to Hire Detectives to Fight Social Fraud

The Belgian federal government has approved a measure allowing Public Centers for Social Welfare (CPAS/OCMW) to hire private detective agencies to investigate beneficiaries suspected of concealing real estate assets abroad, marking a significant shift in the country’s fight against social fraud.

Minister of Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt (N-VA) secured approval from the Council of Ministers on Friday, July 3, enabling CPAS to contract detective agencies when there are “serious indications” of fraud. The measure specifically targets recipients of the social integration income (“revenu d’intégration sociale”) who may be hiding property and rental income outside Belgium.

A Targeted Approach with Legal Safeguards

While Belgian authorities can readily verify domestic property ownership through existing databases, foreign assets have long remained a blind spot in the verification process. “If there are indications suggesting that a person is concealing assets or the income derived from them, a CPAS must be able to verify this information,” Van Bossuyt told RTBF.

The new framework includes strict limits on detective work. Private investigators may only collect targeted information through local registries, cadastral records, and official attestations. They cannot conduct the social investigation itself — that remains the exclusive responsibility of CPAS social workers, who evaluate the gathered information and make the final decision on benefits.

Van Bossuyt emphasized that the measure operates within a legal framework with guarantees regarding privacy, professional secrecy, and data protection. Beneficiaries retain the right to be heard and to appeal decisions. Detectives can only be hired when concrete evidence exists, such as contradictory declarations or failure to present reliable documents.

Antwerp Leads the Way

The CPAS of Antwerp participated in developing the measure and will be the first to implement it, having gained experience detecting foreign real estate assets through social housing files. “These checks on foreign real estate assets are an essential element of social policy,” said Nathalie van Baren (N-VA), Antwerp Alderman for Social Affairs, as reported by La Libre. “In a multicultural city like ours, where many residents have ties abroad, this control is indispensable to guarantee the fairness of our social assistance.”

A Controversial History

This is not the first time private detectives have been used by a Belgian CPAS — and the previous attempt ended in legal defeat. In 2018-2019, the Antwerp CPAS, then led by Fons Duchateau (N-VA), hired the Dutch firm Soza Xpert to investigate beneficiaries. Then-Minister Denis Ducarme (MR) ruled the practice illegal, citing violations of professional secrecy. The CPAS was forced to terminate the contracts and discard any data obtained, as RTBF reported at the time.

The current measure represents an attempt to legalize and regulate a practice that was previously deemed unlawful, addressing the legal deficiencies that led to the Soza Xpert scandal.

Part of a Broader Crackdown

The initiative comes from the “Arizona” coalition government — named after the colors of the participating parties’ logos (N-VA, Vooruit, CD&V, MR, and Les Engagés) — which has made fighting social fraud a key priority. The coalition agreement explicitly mentions extending “social investigation possibilities” and strengthening collaboration requirements for assistance seekers.

The measure is part of a wider government push that includes mandatory home visits, increased data cross-referencing, and stricter rules for benefit recipients. The “Action Plan for Social Fraud 2026-2027,” validated in December 2025, sets the strategic framework. According to BrusselsToday, the number of job seekers registered with CPAS in Brussels has nearly doubled, adding urgency to verification efforts.

Outlook and Potential Challenges

The measure addresses a genuine gap in Belgium’s verification system, creating more equitable enforcement between beneficiaries with domestic assets and those with foreign holdings. However, legal challenges are likely from privacy advocates and civil rights organizations, and the measure may face scrutiny from Belgium’s Data Protection Authority.

Critics argue that such measures create an atmosphere of suspicion toward welfare recipients. A national protest was held on March 12 against the government’s social policies. The response from CPAS in Wallonia and Brussels, which may have different political orientations than Antwerp, remains to be seen.

If successful, this pilot could lead to broader use of private investigators in social welfare verification, potentially expanding to other types of benefits. For now, all eyes are on Antwerp, where the first detectives are expected to begin their work under the new legal framework.