Invoice Fraud Belgium: Cases, Detection and Prevention

In Belgium, invoice fraud is a growing financial threat for businesses and public revenue. To fight back, the government will enforce mandatory B2B e-invoicing from January 2026, using Peppol BIS and EN 16931 standards for transparency and traceability.

Key Takeaways

• Invoice fraud schemes include fake vendors, spoofed invoices, check fraud, and cyber-enabled scams such as phishing.
• Detection relies on carefully verifying supplier names, tax IDs, bank details, invoice descriptions, and cross-checking with purchase orders and goods receipts.
• Prevention strategies include vendor verification, three-way matching, anomaly detection software, and employee training to spot phishing or urgent payment requests.
• Belgian law imposes severe penalties: up to 5 years in prison and fines reaching €800,000 for invoice or cyber fraud.
• Victims should act fast by notifying banks, filing police reports, and using government portals like Meldpunt or ConsumerConnect for support and recovery.

What is Invoice Fraud?

Invoice fraud happens when criminals exploit the invoicing process to siphon off money from businesses. They usually fall into four broad categories: 

1. Fake or non-existent vendors
2. Spoofed invoices that mimic real ones
3. Traditional check fraud.
4. Cyber-related (account takeover, phishing emails, impersonation using AI, and more)

The tricky part of any invoice fraud is actually spotting it. Such invoices are made to blend in with the genuine ones, so the differences are often minimal, which can be easily missed. So let’s first look at the types of scams out there and how they play out in real life.

Invoice Fraud Cases (Examples)

A study reveals that 31% of UK businesses are victims of invoice fraud. Broadly, these invoice fraud cases show up in four ways:

1. Fake or Non-Existent Vendors

This scam happens when fraudsters create fake supplier accounts and bill for goods or services that never existed.

Example: A manufacturing company receives an invoice for “equipment maintenance” from what looks like a new vendor. Because the description is vague and the amount isn’t unusually high, the accounts team clears it. Only later do they discover that no such vendor exists.

2. Spoofed or Impersonated Vendor Invoices

An invoice is ‘spoofed’ if it impersonates a genuine supplier’s invoice by copying/duplicating their branding and invoice style but altering payment details.

Example: An IT firm pays what it believes is a routine monthly invoice from its software vendor. In spoofing, usually the invoice looks exactly the same as the vendor’s original invoice with their logo, layout, etc., but the bank account number has been swapped. By the time the fraud is caught, the money is already gone.

3. Traditional Check Fraud

Though digital payments dominate today, paper-based scams remain common. In traditional check fraud, the system is the same as it has been for ages. The fraudsters usually intercept company checks tied to invoices and then forge/alter/redirect them.

Example: A business mails out a check for a legitimate supplier invoice. Somewhere along the way, the check is stolen, the payee name is changed, and the funds are cashed by the fraudster instead of the intended supplier.

4. Cyber-Enabled Invoice Fraud

The change and upgrade in technology has added a new layer of risk of cyber-related invoice fraud. The most common types of such frauds which are common these days include: account takeovers, phishing emails, and AI-based impersonation.

Example: An accountant receives an email from what looks like the CEO, asking her to process an invoice urgently. The email even carries the same writing style and signature block. In reality, the CEO’s email account was compromised, and the invoice directs funds into a criminal’s account.

How to Detect Fake Invoices?

Spotting fake invoices isn’t always easy because they’re designed to blend in with the real ones. The best place to start is by paying close attention to the details, like:

• Supplier names
• Tax IDs
• Contact numbers
• Bank account details
• Check sequences
• Registered addresses

Fraudsters often change just one line that they hope no one notices. To catch it, compare every invoice with the purchase order and delivery notes; if something was never ordered or received, it shouldn’t be paid for. 

Fake invoices also typically have vague descriptions like “consulting services” or “miscellaneous charges”. They do this specifically to make it hard to track what’s actually being billed, as you cannot normally trace maintenance or consulting.

Another good giveaway would be repeated or unusually high-value invoices.

If you are looking at an invoice that confuses you or you are unable to do invoice fraud detection, the safest step is to contact the supplier directly. Also, always call them on a known number rather than relying on the one listed in the invoice or email. A little extra verification at this stage can save a business from losing thousands down the line.

How to Prevent Invoice Fraud in Belgium?

A single fraudulent payment can cost anywhere from a few thousand euros to millions, depending on the scale. You can prevent it by:

1. A business must always verify new vendors before onboarding. Check their registration, tax IDs, digital presence, etc., to avoid fake suppliers.
2. Cross-check the vendor’s bank details.
3. Look out for subtle changes in email IDs (domains and names), tone of language used in the email, change in registered address or phone number, footnotes, invoice formatting and editing, etc., that may indicate impersonation.
4. Have a three-way matching system (invoice+purchase order+goods receipt) to confirm the legitimacy of the invoice.
5. Create a vendor master list for your firm and audit it regularly to flag any duplicates or ghost suppliers.
6. Closely monitor check sequences to prevent check fraud.
7. Reconcile bank accounts daily. It makes accounting easier and also have a better chance of spotting altered or forged payments quickly.
8. It is very important, rather imperative, to train employees to identify phishing attempts, urgent payment requests, or suspicious changes in payment instructions.
9. Confirm unusual requests out-of-band (e.g., call the supplier directly instead of replying to email).
10. Leverage anomaly detection software to catch duplicate invoices, out-of-pattern payments, or sudden vendor behaviour changes.

What to do if You’re a Victim of Invoice Fraud? (Legal Consequences in Belgium)

Businesses need to be highly active after being a victim of any possible fraudulent activity, to make sure that they have a strong case legally and for insurance refunds.

Fraud in Belgium carries some serious legal consequences, particularly for forging or using false invoices. Convicted individuals can face imprisonment from 1 month to 5 years, and fines ranging from €26 to €120,000 for individuals, or €500 to €120,000 for companies. 

Also, under Article 505 of the Belgian Criminal Code, anyone involved in handling, receiving, or concealing assets obtained via crime (which includes fake invoices) can face 15 days to 5 years of prison and/or fines between €26 and €100,000. Judges may also order confiscation based on the offender’s level of participation. 

On the cybercrime front, Article 550, scams involving phishing or hacking are also criminalised. In Belgium, such acts can attract prison terms from 6 months - 5 years and fines ranging from €208 to €800,000, especially if executed fraudulently or causing significant damage.

How to Report Invoice Fraud in Belgium?

If you suspect or confirm fraud, take immediate action to build a good case by:

1. Contact your bank promptly. Under PSD2 and Belgian law, you may be protected if you did not authorise the transaction. Though proof of gross negligence may affect your claim 
2. Report the incident to your local police. This formal complaint is important to launch a criminal investigation and is highly necessary for insurance claims.
3. Victims, including businesses, can call Belgium’s general government hotline to report scams like fake invoices and get immediate support and guidance.
4. Use ConsumerConnect or Meldpunt if you suspect your payment service provider (like your bank) may be partially responsible.
5. Or, you can also report to the National Bank of Belgium (NBB) if the case involves potential money laundering or failure in anti-fraud protocols under the Anti-Money Laundering Law.

Conclusion

The difference between being a victim and staying protected often comes down to vigilance and the prevention systems you have in place for your business. With Belgium’s e-invoicing mandate around the corner, this is the moment for businesses to act. Digital invoices make fraud harder to slip through, while giving companies greater control and transparency. Think of it as future and fraud proofing your payments.