How to recognize a fraudulent email?

These are scam attempts called phishing scams. These emails, often alarmist, usurp the name and logo of Service-Public.fr. They encourage you to provide personal data (identity card, passport, driver’s license, vital card). This data will then be retrieved by the phisher, who will use it to make purchases or bank transactions. For example, they can offer a paid online service to update the vital card. In truth, the update can be done free of charge in most pharmacies and on the kiosks in the reception points of the Health Insurance.

Service-Public.fr doesn’t ask for money, doesn’t refund it, and never tries to collect bank details. Service-Public.fr can nevertheless send you an email (subscription to alerts, followed by a process...).

In general, be careful when you receive an email inviting you to fill out a form in order to change your vital card where the sender:

• asks you for money or offers to pay you back money;
• seeks to collect personal information (bank details, civil status...).

What to do with the message?

Do not reply to the email or click on the link contained in the message but delete the message.

If you have already replied to a fraudulent message by giving your bank details, you must first of all file an objection with your bank.

How do I report these fraudulent emails?

You can report these phishing attempts:

• on the Phishing Initiative website. This will feed the baselines of the main browsers to block access to these sites;
• to the police on the website reporting (Pharos);
• to Info Scams by phone at 0 805 805 817 toll-free number (free from the UK) Monday to Friday from 9am to 6.30pm.