Refund or new vital card: watch out for fraudulent messages!

New scam methods

Attempts to scam can be sent via email or SMS and are particularly numerous. You have probably already received a message regarding the loss of your Personal Training Account (CPF) rights or more recently a refund to validate or shipping fees to pay to receive your new vital card. You may also have received an email that appears to have come from Cfa or Pôle emploi regarding the payment of the Christmas bonus. Even if the visual identity resembles that of the health insurance, the caf, Pôle emploi or even that of the site Service-Public.frHowever, beware, this could be a phishing attempt.

What is Phishing?

Phishing is a fraud technique, now common on the internet, aimed at obtaining personal and confidential information such as your passwords or banking information. This is the case when you are notified of a pending refund and fill out a form or are asked to pay a shipping fee for a new vital card. Health insurance is not the only one to experience identity theft, the site Service-Public.fr or the FCA is also subject to this phenomenon. Caf has warned of an upsurge in phishing or identity theft attempts in recent weeks, on the Internet and social networks, with the aim of stealing your personal data.

How can we not fall into the trap?

To be sure of where the message is coming from, you can use the following tips:

• do not trust the logo visible on the email;

• verify the sender's email address. In case of fraud, it does not have the domain name of the entity (which is visible after the @ in the email addresses);
• do not share your personal information outside secure sites. Whether it's Medicare, Cif, Pôle emploi or even Service-Public.fr, no entity requests personal or banking information outside the secure areas of official sites;
• check procedures. Health Insurance does not request validation of reimbursement since it is automatic for the insured;
• consult your personal space by going directly to the relevant site or via a search engine but do not click on the links of these messages. If the information provided in the email is true, it will be visible on your personal space.

What if you are a victim of an online scam?

Depending on the nature of the scam, you can report it to different organizations:

• to report a fraudulent site, go to Phishing initiative or on the Ministry of the Interior website;
• to report a suspicious email or site, go to Spam Signal;
• to report a text message, visit the platform 33 700.
• to find out about scams or to report a scam website or email, a bank details theft or a phishing attempt: you can contact Info Scams at 0 805 805 817 (free call from the UK) from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 6:30 pm.