Scams are legion on the Internet. It is sometimes difficult to spot them, but here are the five main rules to remember to limit the risks.
Fraudulent CPF training, SMS or calls pretending to be government institutions, fake computer repair service, fake online sales sites, malware… On the Internet, thousands of scam methods have been developed to extract money or personal data to users. No one escapes it, and according to the figures put forward by Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for the Digital Transition in the JDD this Sunday, May 7: “One in two French people has been the victim of an attempted scam on the Internet.” These scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated and it can be difficult to spot them. To protect yourself when browsing the web, there are a few golden rules you absolutely need to know:
- Beware of emails and text messages : these are the preferred means of action of crooks. Beware of promises of money that are a little too enticing. Whether it’s a major promotion, an unexpected inheritance, or a way to make a quick buck: if it’s too good to be true, it probably isn’t. Distrust also when you receive information from government or banking institutions. Remember that there is no case where your bank or a public service can ask you to enter your banking information, your vital card or your personal information. In case of doubt, contact the establishment concerned directly in order to obtain confirmation, using an official telephone number.
- Beware of links : never click on links from which you are not sure of the source. Especially if they are included in a chain of emails sent by an unknown sender. They can be the entry point for a virus.
- Try to spot fake profiles: fake profiles abound on social networks, and the people who manage them may be after your money or your identity. To recognize them, a first tip is to check if the person’s profile picture is used elsewhere on the internet. You can do this through Google image search. Then, check the age of the account on the network, and pay attention to the conversation. If everything seems to be going too fast, and the person starts asking you for money, it’s most likely a scam.
- Do not buy blindly on the Internet : Find out about the site in question, look at its reviews and its reputation. If there is any doubt as to its legitimacy, do not enter your information on the site. Even if it seems reliable to you, when the time comes to pay, remember to look at the URL of the site. If it does not indicate a small padlock, as well as the mention “https” at the start of the link, turn around. Also watch out for good deals like this unlimited SNCF travel card at 1.95 euros. When it’s too good to be true, it’s often not without reason.
- Secure your computer: choose complex passwords, and change them regularly for more security. Systematically update security, firewalls, antivirus and all applications on your computer. So that no one can take advantage of a loophole to infect your computer.
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The government wants to set up a new “anti-scam” tool
This Sunday, May 7, in an interview granted to the JDDJean-Noël Barrot, Minister for the Digital Transition, announced the deployment by the start of the school year in September of a “scam filter” on line. “Who has not received an SMS inviting them to connect to their CPF or Ameli account in order to plunder their personal or banking data? Let’s cut the evil at the root. That’s what this anti-scam cybersecurity filter is all about. This simple and free device will warn the Internet user when he is about to connect to a site identified as malicious. Il will take the form of a message that will come between the user and the site to avoid being trapped.” he explains to our colleagues.
There is currently no real protection for users. A diagnostic tool is available online: cybermalveillance.gouv.fr. This allows you to answer a few questions about the situation you suspect of being a scam, and allows you to be redirected to the right place if you are a victim. In order to detect scammers more quickly, the Thésée platform was also launched in March 2022. More than 60,000 complaints have already been recorded there.