This is an alert from the Paris prefecture which recently warned taxpayers against a new scam. Indeed, while the income tax declaration campaign is now launched, fraudulent emails are being sent and imitating official messages from the Public Treasury. Targeted ? Attempts at fraud while the French go through the headache of their annual declaration. We bring you details on this scam to take seriously.
It is better to be careful as scams multiply in the middle of the tax declaration campaign. Fraudulent emails are, in fact, being spread on a large scale with the aim of scamming the French. The logos, stamps and even signatures appear larger than life, but, nevertheless, this is a new subterfuge on the part of fraudsters. It was the Paris police headquarters that alarmed taxpayers on the X platform about these new scam attempts.
In a message published on the social network, she explained that “the crooks do not lack imagination in usurping the identity of the Public Treasury to claim that you are guilty of tax fraud”. Reported by Actu Paris, the facts show the use of the same names of services and officials of the tax administration. The email informs the taxpayer that he is guilty of tax fraud and demands rapid regularization of the situation with a payment of a sum of money.
In the email received, it is thus notified that the taxpayer is guilty of tax fraud and that he must pay, within 48 or 72 hours, a sum of several thousand euros, otherwise he will have to suffer criminal sanctions, as well as seizures of property. A way to encourage the person concerned to contact the tax administration as soon as possible.
To complete this scam, you are asked to respond to the message or to contact the tax authorities at a false address provided. In certain cases, bank details (RIB) are given in the content of the email to directly pay the amount requested by transfer.
Several warning points exist regarding this new scam. Check the absence of your tax number and your identity. Sent to many email addresses, the emails do not have any particular targeting.
On its website, the Directorate General of Public Finances also notes that “in a real case of tax audit, the DGFiP sends a paper letter with acknowledgment of receipt and never such a notification by courier”. Be particularly attentive to these untimely sendings and favor indifference in the face of this type of fraudulent communication.