7 Common Phishing Scams to Watch Out For

Phishing, or phishing, is a practice aimed at deceiving users to fraudulently obtain their personal information by posing as legitimate entities. It is a highly prevalent form of cybercrime, with rapid growth according to research by Cloudflare, which analyzed a sample of 279 million email threats last year.

To counter this threat, the Government has listed on its cybermalveillance.gouv platform the techniques most commonly used by scammers in their phishing campaigns. Here are seven examples of these strategies to be aware of to protect yourself:

1. Fake order scam: Scammers persuade users that an order has been placed in their name and direct them to a fraudulent website to cancel the order, asking for their personal and banking information.

2. Tax-themed phishing: Scammers pose as the tax administration, offering a refund or requesting personal information to settle an alleged tax dispute.

3. Parcel delivery scams: Posing as delivery companies, scammers demand additional fees for parcel delivery and direct victims to deceptive websites to make payment.

4. Fine phishing: Scammers use the identity of ANTAI or the service amendes.gouv to demand payment of a fine, redirecting victims to fraudulent sites to obtain their personal and banking information.

5. Banking phishing: Scammers send fraudulent messages urging recipients to update their banking information under the guise of security, redirecting them to fake banking sites to obtain their data.

6. Crit'Air sticker phishing: Capitalizing on the recent requirement to have a Crit'Air sticker, scammers direct victims to fake websites to obtain their personal and banking information under the pretext of ordering a sticker.

7. Lottery scam: Posing as lottery companies, scammers promise significant winnings to obtain victims' personal information, redirecting them to fake notaries or lawyers to claim the alleged winnings.

These strategies are constantly evolving, so it is essential to remain vigilant and wary of unsolicited requests for personal information.