France tax refund scam lures taxpayers with €219 phishing lure

A widespread phishing scam is targeting French taxpayers with emails and SMS messages that claim a €219 refund on the 2025 tax return. The messages appear to come from the Direction générale des finances publiques (DGFIP) and warn recipients that they have only 48 hours to claim the reimbursement, urging them to click a link that leads to a site mimicking the official tax portal.

French authorities, including the Gendarmerie of Rhône, have warned that the fraudsters use counterfeit logos and urgent language to steal personal and banking information. Victims are advised to verify any refund notice directly through their personal account on the official tax website, avoid clicking unknown links, change passwords, enable two‑factor authentication, and report suspicious messages to the police and their bank. The scam reflects a rise in tax‑related phishing attempts, with reported incidents increasing by about 28 % over the previous year.