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3 clusters · 6 sources · 26 days · First seen · Last updated

France crackdown on phone and SMS scams

Overview

In late July 2026, French officials highlighted a surge in fraud targeting mobile users. On July 25, authorities described a widespread smishing campaign that begins with a casual greeting, then directs recipients to a fake delivery site to steal personal data. Simultaneously, the startup Moderering offered its AI-driven tool for detecting illegal online content to French and EU agencies at no cost, aiming to speed up investigations of digital abuse.

Two days later, the Lyon judicial court and the Rhône gendarmerie issued separate alerts. The court warned of phone calls that spoof court numbers and demand personal details, while the gendarmerie cautioned motorists about fake toll-payment SMS links. Both agencies urged the public to verify any request through official channels and to avoid clicking suspicious links.

By mid-August, authorities reported even more sophisticated schemes. In the Gers department, a wave of fake bank advisor scams emerged, where callers posing as security department members stole between 400 and 3,000 euros from victims. Additionally, police in Maine-et-Loire warned of a new form of smishing utilizing artificial intelligence. These scams include highly realistic, AI-generated images of delivery drivers to build credibility, tricking recipients into clicking links to pay fraudulent customs fees or reschedule deliveries.

Entities

France · Gendarmerie du Rhône · French Ministry of the Interior · Moderering · Gendarmerie Nationale

Timeline

  1. 24 days ago

    [CRIME] 3 sources
    France authorities warn of rising bank and AI-driven SMS scams

    French authorities are warning of rising fraud waves, including fake bank advisor calls in Gers and AI-generated parcel delivery SMS scams using realistic images to steal banking data.

  2. about 2 months ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    French courts and police warn of phone and SMS scams

    French authorities alert the public to two fraud schemes: Lyon court callers pretending to demand personal data, and Rhône gendarmes warning of fake toll‑payment SMS links.

  3. about 2 months ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    France combats smishing scams and expands illicit‑content detection tools

    France tackles a new smishing fraud campaign with public advice while Moderering offers free AI tools to authorities for detecting illegal online content.

Sources

1001web.fr · actu.fr · art-telecom.fr · cyber-securite.fr · presseagence.fr · segundoenfoque.com

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history