Watch out for scams!  Illegal financial activities: Consob blocks 17 websites

As part of its efforts to combat unauthorised financial activities, Consob has ordered the blocking of a total of 17 websites.

Specifically, orders were issued to shut down 7 websites that were unlawfully providing investment services and activities relating to financial instruments, and 10 websites that were unlawfully providing services relating to crypto-assets. Below is the list of websites ordered to be taken down:

  • "Quantiumax" (website https://quantiumax.one);

  • "Bloomquix" (website https://bloomquix.com);

  • "Siranogroup" (website https://siranogroup.biz);

  • "Infinite Markets" (website https://infinitemarkets.trade);

  • "CMC Trading" (website https://genesis-arbit.com);

  • "Genesis-Arbit" (website https://cmctradingeu.com);

  • "Hubtrading" (website https://hubtrading.com);

  • "Renditanzia" (websites: https://renditanziait.com; https://renditanzia-it.com; https://renditanziaai.com; https://renditanziaaibot.com; https://renditanziabot.com; https://renditanzia.xyz; https://renditanziaofficial.com; https://renditanzia.online; https://renditanzia.sbs; https://renditanzia.it).

"Quantiumax" (website https://quantiumax.one);

"Bloomquix" (website https://bloomquix.com);

"Siranogroup" (website https://siranogroup.biz);

"Infinite Markets" (website https://infinitemarkets.trade);

"CMC Trading" (website https://genesis-arbit.com);

"Genesis-Arbit" (website https://cmctradingeu.com);

"Hubtrading" (website https://hubtrading.com);

"Renditanzia" (websites: https://renditanziait.com; https://renditanzia-it.com; https://renditanziaai.com; https://renditanziaaibot.com; https://renditanziabot.com; https://renditanzia.xyz; https://renditanziaofficial.com; https://renditanzia.online; https://renditanzia.sbs; https://renditanzia.it).

This brings the total number of websites blocked by Consob since July 2019 – when the Authority was granted the power to order the blocking of websites operated by unauthorised financial intermediaries – to 1,878. Of these, 260 relate to crypto-asset-related activities.

The Authority has exercised its powers to block websites that unlawfully – that is, without authorisation – offer investment services in financial instruments or services relating to crypto-assets to Italian investors.

The measures adopted by Consob can be viewed on the Authority’s website. Internet service providers operating in Italy are currently in the process of blocking access to the websites. For technical reasons, it may take a few days for the block to take effect.

It is important that savers exercise the utmost diligence in making fully informed investment decisions, adopting common-sense practices that are essential for safeguarding their savings: among these, carrying out prior checks on websites offering investment services and crypto-assets to ensure that the operator through which the investment is made is authorised and, for offers of financial products and crypto-assets, that the prospectus or white paper has been published.

Consob also draws attention to the evolving nature of deceptive practices that exploit the internet to steal users’ money and personal data: there has been an increase in the use of new tools, such as emails and ‘cloned’ websites, fake profiles of politicians, celebrities and content generated using artificial intelligence systems – such as images, voices or videos – with the aim of persuading investors to make harmful investment decisions.

To this end, Consob urges investors to consult the dedicated information sheet containing advice on how to protect themselves against financial fraud in the age of artificial intelligence, and reminds them that its website features a section entitled ‘Watch out for scams!’, where useful information is available to warn investors against fraudulent financial schemes.​​​

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