Fake promotions abound on the Internet. While consumer prices rose 4.8% last month over the course of a year, according to INSEE, some may be tempted to resort to promotional offers, especially on the Internet. And the web is not lacking. But beware, many tempting offers are scams. The number of this type of coup exploded in one year, by 251%. Anyway, this is revealed by France Verif, a free platform that detects fraudulent scams on the web. To arrive at this observation, the latter carried out a study between May 2021 and May 2022 on 300,000 French online consumers. “The Internet is full of opportunities, especially in this period of high inflation, but you have to be extremely vigilant,” says Laurent Amar, co-founder of France Verif.
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From fraud to identity theft
Food processor, phone, video game console… It’s not insignificant to see ads for bargain-priced products appear on your navigation page. “The scammers, often based abroad, target fashion products. They analyze demand by country to better target their victims”, analyzes Laurent Amar. And to erase any suspicion of fraud, scammers do not hesitate to create websites identical to those of large companies such as Ikea, Fnac or Cdiscount. “Even the sharpest can fall for the trap,” he says. Checking the website URL and the presence of the padlock on the navigation bar can be effective in identifying fraudulent websites. Another trend observed by the start-up: ads frequently present on social networks displaying discount coupons to be used in hypermarkets.
Screenshots provided by France Verif. Websites are no longer online.
Once the webpage of one of these fraudulent websites is opened, two types of scams can backfire on the consumer. On the one hand, personal data, including bank information, will be requested to make the purchase. In addition to not receiving the product, the victim has their data stolen, generating fraud in their bank accounts. “The scam can go even further when an identity document is requested for a purchase. Internet users can see their identity misused”, warns Laurent Amar.
On the other hand, when clicking on the website, a page asking whether or not to accept cookies may open automatically, as well as all websites on the Internet. Problem: On fraudulent pages, a virus can directly attack the victim’s computer or laptop after clicking on the cookie acceptance banner. An attack that allows cybercriminals to hijack your banking apps. “It’s the double penalty,” says Laurent Amar. To try to trick as many people as possible, “cybercriminal companies can create between 10 and 20 websites a day, up to 80 for the biggest,” he adds. And once you fall into the trap, it can be difficult to get a refund.
Possible remedies but few refunds
In 2020, 26 million French people were victims of online scams and 1.2 million families were victims of credit card fraud for a total amount of 473 million euros in 2020, according to the latest annual report by the Observatory for Security of Payment Means (OSMP) published in August 2021. However, resources remain very limited in hopes of being refunded for the amount stolen. “It is possible to file a complaint at the police station or at the DGCCRF. But as long as the criminal is not found, it is impossible to obtain compensation”, explains Alexandre Vuchot, a lawyer at the Bird & Bird office, specializing in online commerce. Another solution: go to your bank. But it is still necessary for her to have committed a fault, such as refusing to object to a transaction, in order to refund her customer. “If you voluntarily provided your bank information for an online purchase, your bank will not refund you,” adds Maître Vuchot. According to a study by UFC-Que-Choisir published in October 2020, 30% of frauds are not refunded by banks. Please note that a fraudulent payment cannot be refunded by a bank if it is older than 13 months.
To support victims of fraud, the government has posted on its website the steps to follow to obtain compensation. Fraudulent use of personal data, online purchases, email address hacking… All steps are indicated according to the type of scam.