Watch out for scams!  Illegal financial activities: Consob blocks 6 websites

As part of its efforts to combat unauthorised financial activities, Consob has ordered the blocking of six new websites that unlawfully offer financial services and/or products, or through which services relating to crypto-assets were provided without authorisation: three websites engaged in unauthorised financial intermediation, one website through which financial products were offered without a prospectus, and two websites through which unauthorised services relating to crypto-assets were provided.

The Authority has exercised the powers deriving from the 'Growth Decree' regarding the blocking of websites operated by unauthorised financial intermediaries, the power introduced by Law No. 8 of 28 February 2020 concerning the blocking of websites through which unauthorised offers are made, and the powers introduced by the MiCAR regulations (EU Regulation and Legislative Decree No. 129/2024) regarding the blocking of websites through which crypto-asset services are provided to Italian investors without the required authorisations.

Below are the websites for which Consob has ordered the blocking:

- "Marbrisse" (website https://marbrisse.com and the associated page https://webtrader.strenlyx-degreonix.com);

- 'IMGPartners.cm/IM-Global.cm' (website https://im-global.cm and the associated pages https://client.im-global.cm and https://webtrader.im-global.cm);

- "Adamant Invest" (website https://adamant-invest.com and the associated page https://webtrader.adamant-trade.com);

- "AEA Growth" (website https://aeagrowth.ltd);

- "Nextrize Invest" (websites https://nextrize.org and https://trck-oklomin.info).

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 belonging to unauthorised financial intermediaries – to 1,822. Of these, 235 relate to crypto-related activities.

The measures adopted by Consob can be viewed on the website www.consob.it. Internet service providers operating in Italy are currently in the process of blocking these websites. For technical reasons, it may take a few days for the blocking 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.