Attempted Fraud by Identity Theft
For example, fraudsters may use email addresses, phone numbers of the impersonated company or its employees, or even create a fake website mimicking the company by using its name, logo, etc. They then contact you via email, SMS, phone, or fake advertisements pretending to be the impersonated company.
To protect yourself
Do not share your personal information (phone, email, ID documents, bank details, etc.) with contacts or websites whose reliability you cannot verify, or by filling out forms online after clicking on an advertisement banner.
Be particularly vigilant when receiving solicitations from unidentified individuals without having first conducted thorough checks to verify their identity:
- Contact the company your interlocutor claims to represent by searching for its contact details (phone, email, and postal address) to verify that the contact is genuine.
- Check the email address of the person who sent you the message, even if their name seems familiar. Pay close attention to what is indicated in the email address after the @ sign. Most professionals have an email address with their own domain name, which you can find on the company's official website. Be cautious, as fraudsters sometimes change just one letter or symbol, making the forgery hard to detect. The email address may also have been spoofed. If in doubt, conduct online research to verify or contact the person who sent the email by another means.
If a message seems to come from an unknown or suspicious source, do not click on links or open attachments and do not respond. Delete the message.
Access the websites of brands you know directly. Do not click on promotional advertisement banners.
Regularly check your bank accounts to identify any transactions you did not authorise.
Never transfer money to foreign countries without first clearing any doubts with your bank. Do not hesitate to contact your bank.
If you suspect fraud, we invite you to send us an email.
To protect yourself from fraudulent offers
Always verify that your interlocutor is authorised to offer banking or insurance products by consulting:
- The Financial Firms Register - REGAFI
- The register of insurance organisations – REFASSU
- The ORIAS website, the organisation responsible for maintaining the register of intermediaries in insurance, banking, or crowdfunding.
Stay vigilant against the risk of identity theft of an authorised professional.
In any case, if the company or person contacting you is not listed on any of these registers, do not respond to their proposal.
If you have been a victim of fraud
Immediately notify your bank of the fraudulent transaction in case of payment.
Collect and keep as much information as possible (emails, recordings, transfer orders, etc.).
File a complaint as soon as possible.
Contact INFO ESCROQUERIES by calling 0 805 805 817 (free service and call from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 6:30 pm).
Report the incident on internet-signalement.gouv.fr even if you have not suffered any loss. A report can help prevent other fraud attempts.