Press release of 4 May 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 10 websites that were illegally providing services relating to crypto-assets. Below is the list of websites ordered to be blocked:
- “Erw326” (website https://erw326.it);
- “EwdS66” (website https://ewds66.it);
- “Hjk172” (website https://hjk172.it);
- “Sdd316” (website https://sdd316.it);
- “Yue157” (website https://yue157.it);
- “Yyt369” (website https://yyt369.it);
- “Asd967” (website https://asd967.it);
- “Etww78” (website https://etww78.it);
- “Zzx726” (website https://zzx726.it);
- “Rtut62” (website https://rtut62.it).
This brings the total number of websites blocked by Consob since July 2019 to 1,681, since the Authority was granted the power to order the blocking of websites belonging to unauthorised financial intermediaries. Of these, 178 relate to crypto-related activities
The Authority has made use of the powers deriving from the “Growth Decree” to block the websites of unauthorised financial intermediaries, and of the powers provided for under MiCAR (EU Regulation and Legislative Decree No. 129/2024) regarding the blocking of websites through which crypto-asset services are provided to Italian investors without authorisation.
The measures adopted by Consob can be consulted on the website www.consob.it. Internet service providers operating in Italy are currently taking steps to block these websites. For technical reasons, the actual blocking may take a few days.
It is important that investors exercise the utmost diligence in 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 choices.
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.
