Every year we see the same old scams, with new ones being added all the time.
This old potato turns up again and again, and always manages to claim victims.
This scam e-mail claims to be from the French tax office.
It is sent from remboursement@impots.gouv.fr amongst other email addresses. It states that you are eligible for a tax refund (remboursement) and asks you to click on a link and fill in your bank details. If you receive this email DO NOT click on the link or fill in your bank details. Send it straight to your poubelle!
A typical text might be….
“Apres les derniers calculs annuels de l’exercice de votre activite, Nous avons determinez que vous etes admissibles a recevoir un remboursement de 359.80 Euro”
Linguists. How many accents missed and grammar mistakes can you spot there?
However, they are not always given away by poor spelling or grammar. They also usually have convincing looking headings and logos of the tax office.
The DGFiP (Direction générale des finances publiques) says that they would never ask for your bank or credit card details in this way and warns people to be vigilant and never to give any personal details by email.
