PRESS RELEASE

As part of its efforts to combat financial fraud, Consob has ordered the blocking of a total of 18 websites.

In particular, Consob ordered the blocking of 5 websites that were illegally providing investment services and activities on financial instruments and 2 websites that were advertising unauthorized trading platforms, in one case through the improper use of references to and images of public figures known to the Italian public, specifically Senator Carlo Calenda and entrepreneur Piero Ferrari.

Below is a list of the websites ordered to be blocked:

• “Urus Developments” (website https://urusdev.limited and related page https://auth.ltdurus.com);
• “InvestiProItalia” (website https://investiproitalia.com and related page https://clients.investiproitalia.com);
• “Arche-FX Group” (website https://arche-fxgroup.com and related page https://client.arche-fxgroup.com);
• “Targon.ltd” - “Puntoborsaai.com” (website https://targon.ltd and related pages https://user.newclientpanel.com, https://wt.newclientpanel.com as well as the linked advertising website www.puntoborsaai.com);
• “Apollocse” - “Puntoborsaai.it” (website www.apollocse.com and related pages https://client.apollocse.com, https://client.apollosce.co, https://trading.investmentsoverview.com as well as the linked advertising website https://puntoborsaai.it).

In addition, Consob ordered the blocking of 11 websites through which crypto-asset services were being provided illegally:

• “GFF612” (website https://gff612.it);
• “ADAN82” (website https://adan82.it);
• “SDS031” (website https://sds031.it);
• “YUU369” (website https://yuu369.it);
• “TYU105” (website https://tyu105.it);
• “HGJ258” (website https://hgj258.it);
• “FHD016” (website https://fhd016.it);
• “TUU158” (website https://tuu158.it);
• “DFW222” (website https://dfw222.it);
• “BNG373” (website https://bng373.it);
• “ERE316” (website https://ere316.it).

This brings the total number of websites blocked by Consob since July 2019, when the Authority was given the power to order the blocking of websites of abusive financial intermediaries, to 1,555.

The Authority has exercised the powers deriving from the ‘Growth Decree’ (Decreto crescita) to block the websites of abusive financial intermediaries, those introduced by the ‘Capital Law’ (Legge Capitali) relating to the blocking of websites used to carry out advertising campaigns for abusive intermediation platforms, as well as the powers provided for by MiCAR (EU Regulation and Legislative Decree No. 129/2024) regarding the black-out of websites through which crypto-asset services are provided to Italian savers without authorization.

The measures adopted by Consob can be consulted on the website www.consob.it. Internet service providers operating in Italy are currently working to block 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 choices, adopting common sense behaviors that are essential for safeguarding their savings: these include checking in advance, for websites offering financial services and crypto-assets, that the operator through which you are investing is authorized 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 email messages 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 savers to make harmful investment choices.

To this end, Consob reminds investors that its website features a section entitled “Watch for Scams!”, which provides useful information to warn investors against abusive financial initiatives.

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