Belgium has nearly 12 million inhabitants, 36% of whom have a migration background. This amounts to around 4.3 million people. Moreover, 14% of them don't have the Belgian nationality. This group plays a crucial role in our society and economy.
In 2024, 10.11 billion dollars in remittances (personal money transfers abroad) were sent from Belgium. Inclusion and digital safety are therefore not only social priorities, but economic ones too.
Digital vulnerability demands a segmented approach
According to the Digital Inclusion Barometer of the King Baudouin Foundation, 40% of Belgians aged 16 to 74 are digitally vulnerable. What does that mean? 5% have no internet access and 35% have weak digital skills. Digital vulnerability is strongly linked to income, education level and age and two-thirds of this group belong to low-income groups or are low educated.
For people with a migration background (diaspora communities), additional challenges may arise, such as language barriers, smaller social networks, limited ICT education and an urgent need to find employment. The digital environment can often feel polarising and discriminatory for members of the diaspora, which may lead them to make less use of digital tools. This can in turn contribute to lower awareness of online vulnerability.
Many migrants and members of the diaspora rely heavily on digital tools to maintain ties with family and friends in their countries of origin. Sending money (known as “remittances”) is often also an integral part of their relationship with their home country. When using financial service providers such as banks or Western Union, they are confronted with high transaction costs. As a result, people with international roots seek alternative ways to send remittances, including unsafe channels that promise lower margins or costs.
Online fraud: a growing risk
Cybercriminals take advantage of this vulnerability. In Belgium, 49 million euros were stolen through phishing in a single year and 14.6 million euros were lost through investment fraud. Globally, the figures are mind-boggling: over the past 12 months, 442 billion dollars were stolen through online fraud.
By working together with trusted NGOs and diaspora organisations and providing them with neutral, accessible information, we help people feel safer and more confident online.
Why are diaspora communities particularly vulnerable?
People with a migration background are more vulnerable to online scams. The risk of online fraud is increased by:
- Insufficiently developed digital skills.
This is often the result of limited formal education and restricted access to ICT training and it naturally leads to increased digital vulnerability. - Lack of representation in traditional awareness-raising campaigns.
Conventional campaigns warning about scams hardly reach migrants and members of the diaspora, as they can be stigmatising or are not designed inclusively. The messaging is often too abstract, difficult to understand or not adapted to the lived realities of these groups. For example, scams such as Itsme fraud or Bpost phishing resonate less with their experiences, making it harder for them to recognise themselves in these campaigns. - Incorrect targeting and dissemination of awareness messages.
The channels through which campaigns are distributed are not necessarily the ones used by migrants and diaspora communities. Word-of-mouth communication, community events and informal networks often have a much higher success rate. - Differences in digital needs.
Digital needs vary significantly between groups and from individual to individual. For instance, diaspora communities and migrants often make use of remittance channels and online trading forums, while jobseekers are more likely to use employment platforms. Criminals adapt their scams accordingly: fake job offers, fraudulent sellers or money transfers that never arrive are common. Fraudsters may also impersonate family members in the country of origin with whom contact exists only online. This allows them to request money in a convincing way, while in reality it is a case of extortion or fraud.
Addressing the mismatch between traditional campaigns and the specific digital needs of people with a migration background is therefore essential.
Scams are often highly targeted and specific, which makes general awareness campaigns less effective.
Cybercriminals tap into existing vulnerabilities. If you don’t speak the language, lack a network or are desperately seeking a job, you’re more vulnerable to online scams.
As an SDG Ambassador, we felt it was our responsibility to take action.
- Our CISO Kristof and sustainability coordinator Sophie delivered an information session at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which is connected to the United Nations.
- We provided key figures from diaspora communities with information on cybersecurity and digital resilience.
- The aim was to empower them and, through the train-the-trainer principle, create a multiplier effect.
Together, we empower diaspora key figures to fully take up their role as trusted intermediaries. We reduce digital inequalities within migrant and diaspora communities and ensure that no one is left behind in an increasingly digital society.
Our ambition for 2026
We want to make our awareness campaigns more diverse and more inclusive. We already see opportunities to:
- Use examples that resonate with people with a migration background.
- Collaborate with organisations such as IOM to reach vulnerable target groups.
- Reduce the digital divide so that no one is left behind in our digital society.
We're not only building a secure .be zone, but also a digitally inclusive Belgium.
With this article, we support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.