Spam, phishing, phishing: how to protect yourself and report effectively?

Do you receive spam, phishing attempts or scams? Find out how to recognize, protect and report them effectively with Signal Spam, PHAROS and 33700.

Spam, phishing, phishing: what are we talking about?

Every day, millions of people receive:

These digital threats aim to recover your personal data, your banking details or infiltrate your computer systems.

Spam
Unsolicited advertising received by email, SMS or instant messaging.
The classic scam (scam)
Promise of a win (lottery, inheritance) against an advance of costs. The goal: to extract money with nothing in return.
Phishing or phishing
Imitation of an official organization (bank, CAF, Social Security...) to obtain your bank identifiers or contact details. Fraudsters use falsified logos, emails and sites.

Namely: some fraudulent emails are very well done. Stay vigilant for any unusual requests.

Here are the 7 good reflexes recommended by the CNIL and Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr:

Never communicate sensitive information (bank, passwords) by email or telephone.
Hover over the links before clicking to verify the real address.
Check the site URL: a simple modified character can indicate a fraudulent site.
Contact the organization directly if you have any doubts.
Use strong, different passwords for each site.
Enable two-factor authentication on your sensitive accounts.
Beware of offers that are too good to be true and unexpected attachments.

If you clicked on a link or provided information:

Object immediately to your bank.
Keep the evidence (messages, screenshots).
File a complaint at a police station or gendarmerie, or directly with the public prosecutor.
Change your passwords on all linked accounts.
Report the incident:
- On Spam Signal for emails,
- By SMS to 33700 for fraudulent SMS,
- On Phishing Initiative to report a phishing site,
- On PHAROS to report any illegal sites or content.

Additional tip: contact the platform Scam Info at 0 805 805 817 (free service) for help.

In the event of phishing or digital fraud, several offenses can be prosecuted:

Fraud (article 313-1 of the Penal Code): 5 years in prison and a fine of 375,000€.
Fraudulent collection of personal data (article 226-18): 5 years and 300,000€ fine.
Fraudulent access to a computer system (article 323-1): 3 to 5 years in prison.
Identity theft (article 226-4-1): 1 year in prison and 15,000€ fine.
Counterfeiting of trademarks (logos, visuals): 3 years in prison and 300,000€ fine.
Fraudulent use of means of payment: 7 years in prison and a fine of 750,000€.