From blocking the transaction via your bank to reporting the fraud, here are the steps to follow, plus some useful French vocabulary.
A case of fraude à la carte bancaire (bank card fraud) happens when your card has not been lost or stolen, but when your details have been used to make unauthorised purchases, usually online.
In this case would you still have your card, but you notice transactions that were not made by you.
Bank – the first thing to do is alert your bank and block the transaction.
Depending on your bank, you can sign up to a service that will alert you to any unusual transactions – usually large amounts or in another country. This can either be via app alerts or email.
This gives you the chance to faire opposition (block the transaction).
But even if you don’t get an alert, you can still raise an objection to a transaction if you don’t recognise it.
The easiest way is to contact your bank directly via their website or app – most have a section for ‘opposition’, where you can flag suspicious payments.
However, there is also a telephone number – available 24/7 – to report suspicious transactions, which can be used by anyone who has a French bank account. It is 0 892 705 705.
Once you have flagged the suspicious transaction, the bank should ask if you want to bloquer l’utilisation de votre carte bancaire (block the use of your card).
If you have access to another card, it’s best to say yes to this and just get a replacement. However, if you have only one card or need the card urgently to make vital payments, then you have the option to keep it and simply keep a close eye on transactions until you can get a new card.
Your bank should send you the new card within five working days, or some banks offer the option to come and pick it up at the branch. The PIN code for the new card should be sent separately.
Report fraud – the next step is to report the fraud or attempted fraud, which you can do via the government platform Perceval here.
Reporting the fraud is not compulsory, but it has two main purposes. If money has been taken from your account, then having an official report will make it easier to get a refund. And it aids financial crime agencies in spotting patterns and dismantling networks and criminal gangs.
Many people assume that the bank reports fraud after a customer has requested that their card be blocked and replaced, but in fact it’s up to the customer to report it.
Making the report online takes about 20 minutes. You will need;
Your bank card
Your IBAN (international bank number) of the account it is linked to
Recent bank statements (relevés de compte)
If you don’t want to use the Perceval platform, you can also make the report in person at your local police station – you will need the same information.
Your report should be processed within seven days, after which you will receive a report with a file number (numéro de dossier) – you use this number when making claims for reimbursement if necessary.