A new, increasingly sophisticated fraud tactic has emerged in Belize, prompting the nation’s top financial regulator to issue an urgent public warning to consumers. As of October 14, 2026, the Central Bank of Belize has confirmed multiple recent reports of scammers ditching traditional low-credibility scam channels like generic spam texts and anonymous random calls to use a more convincing approach: impersonating official bank staff and coordinating conversations through mainstream video platform Google Meet.
Unlike unrecognized phone numbers that often trigger suspicion, the use of a widely trusted mainstream video platform gives scammers a false veneer of legitimacy, making their deceptive pitches far more likely to fool unsuspecting members of the public. According to the bank’s official statement, the scammers first contact targets to falsely claim they represent the Central Bank of Belize, then steer the interaction to a scheduled or instant Google Meet video call. During these online sessions, the impersonators press targets to hand over sensitive personal and financial information that can be used for identity theft, fraudulent withdrawals, or unauthorized account access.
In its public advisory, the Central Bank has laid out clear guidance for anyone who encounters this scam: end the call or online meeting immediately, and do not engage with the scammers or attempt to verify their claims independently through any contact information they provide. The institution emphasized a core policy that consumers should remember: the Central Bank of Belize never initiates unsolicited outreach to members of the public requesting sensitive private data, including online banking passwords, personal identification numbers (PINs), full banking login credentials, credit card numbers, or any other confidential financial details.
Authorities are reminding the public that scammers regularly adapt to new platforms and tactics to exploit public trust, and the use of well-known services like Google Meet is just the latest example of this trend. Any unexpected contact asking for sensitive financial information, regardless of the platform being used, is guaranteed to be fraudulent. The Central Bank is urging all residents to stay vigilant and share this alert with family members and friends, particularly vulnerable groups like elderly residents who may be more likely to fall victim to sophisticated impersonation schemes.