How to avoid scams and fake administrative websites?

There can be several types of fraudulent sites: some provide incorrect information, others charge you for a fake procedure, and some even sell your personal data. Before undertaking an online procedure that involves giving personal information or making a payment, here are some reflexes to have.

1.    Check Known and Official Sites First

Start by verifying if the administrative procedures are available on official sites, especially on the public service site, the OFII site, or the site of the administration of foreigners in France. These sites will indicate where to go to complete your procedure and will direct you to other secure sites if necessary.

2. Verify the Website Address

It is important to look at the URL of the site you are on. The URLs of the French administration end with ".gouv.fr" or ".fr", but never with ".gouv.org", ".gouv.com", or "-gouv.fr". A site ending in ".fr" does not necessarily guarantee that it is an official site, and the company operating it may not be based in France.
 

3.    Look for the Legal Notices of the Site

Check if you can find the legal notices on the site you suspect. If there are none, it is a bad sign, as they are mandatory in France.

4.    Check the Sender's Address if You Receive an Email

If you receive an email inviting you to click to complete a procedure or log in, first check that it is not a phishing attempt by verifying the sender's address. It should correspond to the name of the official organization contacting you. If in doubt, do not click on any link and do not provide any personal information, email address, or access code.

You can report these scams on the Pharos platform (platform for harmonization, analysis, cross-referencing, and orientation of reports). It is accessible on the site internet-signalement.gouv.fr. This platform allows you to report websites with illegal content. Your report will be handled by a specialized judicial police service, the Central Office for Combating Crime Related to Information and Communication Technologies (OCLCTIC).

Reports on the Pharos platform are, after verification, directed to an investigative service. A criminal investigation may be opened under the authority of the public prosecutor. Pharos receives several tens of thousands of reports each year. If the reported content is illegal but created abroad, it is forwarded to Interpol, which directs it to the judicial authorities of the concerned country.