The Internet has always been a breeding ground for fraud and scams. And while banks remain vigilant and always seek to secure their data, they are never immune. So how do you spot these scams? What advice do you have to avoid them?
Be vigilant
Today's major scam and fraud risks involve fake investments and counterfeit banking websites. Web thieves and hackers shamelessly copy and paste a major bank' s website to collect all your data and money.
More than the site itself, scammers create fake web spaces that exactly reproduce the ergonomics and graphics of your bank. The similarity is truly uncanny, and it's only in certain details that you can tell the difference (color variations, changes to one or two photos, different URLs, etc.). These bogus sites usurp elements of a bank's civil status, such as its postal address, contact details or interbank code, not to mention the fact that they take advantage of the situation to integrate attractive, paid-for offers where there is no need for them.
It is against this backdrop that vigilance is called for, and the financial authorities recommend that users of these banking platforms take the utmost care.
The ACPR blacklist
The ACPR (Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution) regularly issues warnings to official banking institutions. The ACPR has a blacklist of fraudulent sites. The aim is to inform and educate you, while arousing your suspicions, so that you can be as vigilant as possible in the face of these scams.
This list, although regularly updated, is not exhaustive, but it does provide a first step in the fight against banking scams and fraud. It's important to note that scammers no longer hide behind exceptional and atypical products such as wine, virtual currencies or Forex. Nowadays, their modus operandi is to offer investments in classic products as bait. The pitch is manipulative, subtly blending truthful and misleading information in order to lend credibility to the fake company and win your trust.
In the same spirit, the AMF (Autorité des Marchés Financiers) also draws up a blacklist of players who illegally offer dubious investments, notably on the FOREX (unregulated foreign exchange) market in France.
What precautions should I take?
- Check that the bank's website is not on the ACPR's blacklist. This list is publicly accessible on the ACPR website.
- Check that your "advisor" is authorized to offer savings or credit products. To do this, simply visit the Orias or Regafi websites and search for the list of authorized agents.
- Beware of overly seductive or exceptional offers. A financial investment with a high return (e.g. a Ponzi scheme) always conceals a substantial risk, or even a scam.
- NEVER give money to obtain a loan or release funds.
- Pay close attention to the sites and e-mail addresses that solicit you. Sometimes the difference is just one letter in the company name or website address.
- Beware of word-of-mouth and so-called special offers. Not all scams come from the Internet: it only takes someone you know mentioning a "good deal" to tip you off.