Online scams
Phishing, webcam blackmail, identity theft
problems encountered by young people during lockdown were online scams, compared to 7 % outside of lockdown.
(Opinion Way and e-Enfance / 3018, May 2020).
Victim of an online scam? Contact 3018!
What is it about?
Online scams rely primarily on the credulity and inexperience of internet users. Younger people are more vulnerable and are ideal victims for unscrupulous individuals.
There are various types of online scams:
- The’phishing, or phishing, consists of misleading the recipient of a message into believing that it has been sent by a trusted third party (government agency, operator, etc.) in order to obtain personal data such as a password or credit card number; ;
- The scamming consists of making a person believe that they have won a prize and that they must pay a certain amount in order to receive it; ;
- The webcam blackmail or sextortion consists of threatening to publish a video on the Internet that could damage the victim's reputation. Generally, this is a video of a sexual nature. A ransom is demanded from the victim so that the video is not posted online.
- The fake technical support scam
- Email scams
- Ransomware
- Data breaches
- Identity theft
- Fraud involving fake bank advisors
- Credit card fraud
- Account hacking
What does the law say?
Fraud (Section 313-1 of the Criminal Code) is the act of obtaining goods, services or money by deception.
The victim voluntarily gives their money because they are misled about the perpetrator's intentions = 5 years' imprisonment and a fine of €375,000.
Identity theft (Section 226-4-1 of the Criminal Code) = one year's imprisonment and a fine of €15,000.
Collection of personal data by fraudulent, unfair or unlawful means (Article 226-18 of the Criminal Code) = 5 years' imprisonment and a fine of €300,000.
How can you avoid the pitfalls of online scams?
To prevent your child from falling victim to online scams, it is important to warn them and explain that these phenomena exist and what they involve.
To enhance their safety, provide them with the good digital practices:
- Be vigilant about the information you share : do not disclose your contact details.
- Be wary of solicitations received : People who contact us are not always who they claim to be, and their intentions are not always sincere.
- No never buy alone something on the Internet.
- If you have any doubts or if something unusual happens, talk to an adult about it.
For your part, you can also implement several preventive measures:
- Do not save any payment methods on a smartphone, tablet or games console (especially if these devices are shared). This will help you avoid unauthorised purchases.
- Protect your digital tools : perform regular updates, choose passwords
different and sufficiently complex for each site and application.
What should you do if you encounter an online scam?
- Reassure your child It is important to relieve him of his guilt and share your feelings with him.
- Keep evidence by taking screenshots; ; They will be useful if you wish to file a complaint.
- Call your bank to try to object, if your child has shared details about your payment methods or made purchases without your authorisation.
- File a complaint at the police station or gendarmerie.
The online scams are constantly on the rise. Children are often targeted because they are gullible and unsuspecting. It is therefore important to raise their awareness and show them examples of suspicious emails that you may have received so that they can learn to spot them.
If you need advice or help dealing with a online scam, please do not hesitate to contact us by calling 3018.
You can also visit the website cybermalveillance.gouv.fr
Need assistance?
Bullying, cyberbullying, revenge porn, webcam blackmail, identity theft, gender-based and sexual violence, exposure to violent and pornographic content, etc., and all issues related to usage (video games, parental controls, account settings, overexposure to screens).
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