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Advice and tips on buying and selling between private individuals
  • Avoiding scams

What should I do if I fall victim to an online scam? Here are our tips.

  • 10 August 23

Have you made a purchase on a classified ad site but received nothing? Or have you received a different product to the one you were shown? A totally counterfeit product without your knowledge? More and more online scams are active today. Your data can be compromised and used against your will and you don't know how to get out of this mess. Bank details can also be revealed by withdrawing money from ATMs or using the card to get free benefits or services. These scams can cause serious financial damage to victims.

In this article, we'll give you some advice on what to do if you fall victim to an online scam.

Several types of scam

First of all, it's important to be aware of the different types of online scams that are possible. Scams are very common and can be very varied :

  • Credit card fraud
  • Mailbox hacking
  • Theft of personal data (phishing)
  • Lottery scam: You are invited by e-mail to make a transfer to unlock a prize you have won.
  • "Nigerian" scam: You are invited by email to pay money.

Make an objection

The first thing to do in the event of an online scam is to contact your bank. The aim is to stop the transaction. You should inform your adviser of the facts and ask for the transaction to be cancelled. While waiting for the cancellation, you can rest assured that no further direct debits will be made.

 

There are also procedures for reimbursement in the event of a fraudulent sale. The reverse charge procedure allows the person who paid for the purchase by bank card to be reimbursed for the amount used.

Making a complaint

Once this initial step has been taken, you can also go to the gendarmerie to lodge a complaint. If you don't want to go to the gendarmerie, you can also lodge a written complaint with the public prosecutor. Your complaint will be made against a person unknown, if you do not know the identity of the fraudster. The statute of limitations is 6 years from the date of payment over the Internet. 

Reporting and support

If you have been the victim of an Internet scam, it is important to protect future buyers by reporting the fraudulent behaviour you have encountered on the government platform: Internet-signalement.gouv.fr.

There are also a number of support schemes, such as :

  • The Info Escroqueries telephone hotline, which can be contacted Monday to Friday from 9am to 6.30pm on 0 805 805 817.
  • The consumer service of the DDPP (Direction départementale de la protection des populations).
  • Consumer associations near you.
  • The European online dispute resolution platform.

 

Curious to find out more about the different types of scams? Have a look at our articles on the DHL scam, the wedding gift scam or the Mondial Relay scam.

 

Solution de paiement Obvy.

 

Secure your purchases with Obvy

We also advise you to use Obvy to secure your transactions.

 

Obvy offers a payment method specially designed to secure transactions between private individuals. Whether you are buying or selling between private individuals on ad platforms such as Leboncoin or Vinted, Obvy acts as a trusted third party to help you avoid any scams. 

 

In the event of a counterfeiting scam, you can quickly and easily return the product to the seller and get your money back. What's more, you'll have all the information you need about the seller in the event of legal action.