Press release of 19 March 2026 (black out websites) - CONSOB AND ITS ACTIVITIES
PRESS RELEASE
As part of its efforts to combat financial fraud, Consob has ordered the blocking of a total of 9 websites.
Specifically, orders were issued to close eight websites that were unlawfully providing investment services and activities relating to financial instruments, and one website that was advertising unauthorised trading platforms by improperly using the names and images of institutional figures known to the Italian public. Below is the list of websites ordered to be taken down:
- "GLQ-Investors" (website https://glq-investors.com);
- "Swiss-Pay" (website https://swiss-pay.io and related page https://client.swiss-pay.io);
- "Stone Vest" (website https://stone-vest-ltd.com and related page https://inv.stone-vest.com);
- Apollo" (websites https://apolloxpro.com and https://apollox-pro.vip);
- "FTI Finance" (website https://ftifinancelimited.com and related page https://client.ftifinancelimited.com);
- "Renditix AI" - "Renditixpro.space" (websites https://renditix-ai.net and https://rrenditixai.it, as well as the associated advertising website https://renditixpro.space).
This brings the total number of websites blocked by Consob since July 2019 – that is, since the Authority was granted the power to order the blocking of websites belonging to unauthorised financial intermediaries – to 1,608. Of these, 136 relate to crypto-asset-related activities.
Furthermore, Consob has asked the Meta platform to deactivate the social media profile https://www.facebook.com/people/Rapporto-Italia/61588197126954, used to disseminate the unauthorised promotional campaign relating to the ‘Renditix AI' platform, which was also advertised via the website https://renditixpro.space.
The Authority has exercised the powers conferred by the "Growth Decree" to block the websites of abusive financial intermediaries. The measures adopted can be viewed on the website www.consob.it. Internet service providers operating in Italy are currently in the process of blocking access to these websites. For technical reasons, it may take a few days for the block to take effect.
It is important that savers exercise the utmost care when making fully informed investment decisions, adopting common-sense practices that are essential for safeguarding their savings: among these, checking in advance, for websites offering investment services and crypto-assets, that the operator through which one is investing 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 evolution 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 and celebrities, and content generated using artificial intelligence systems – such as images, voices or videos – with the aim of inducing investors to make harmful investment decisions.
To this end, Consob invites investors to consult the dedicated information sheet containing advice on how to protect themselves from financial fraud in the age of artificial intelligence and reminds them that its website features the ‘Watch for scams!' section, where useful information is available to warn investors against abusive financial schemes.
