The scam of the moment takes the form of a false promotion: a car breakdown kit, presented as free, provided you pay a few euros for shipping costs. This type of message swarms on social networks, in email boxes or pop-ups on dubious websites. It would suppose, supposedly, a citizen gesture supported by a recognized authority, such as the Ministry of Transport or Vinci Autoroutes.
An offer too good to be true
« We would like to offer you a unique opportunity to receive a brand new emergency car kit! To get it, simply answer this short survey “, Promise the fraudulent pages noted by the site Signal. The argument is simple: the kit would contain useful objects, even compulsory for motorists (reflective vest, triangle, survival coverage, etc.) for a handful of euros.
Except that this good deal hides a much more lucrative mechanism … for crooks.
The process is always the same: the victim clicks on the link, answers a questionnaire without much use, then is invited to pay from 2 to 3 euros for delivery. For this, she informs her bank details. At this point, the scam is already underway.
Without knowing it, the user has authorized a subscription to an invisible service, billed between 30 and 60 euros per month. “” Regular samples are then taken, often under dark labels, to avoid attracting attention “, explain Signal. The process is well known: we are talking about “hidden subscription” here, a technique already used in fraudulent campaigns around slimming products or connected gadgets.
This scam is not new, but it has experienced a revival of activity for six months, with a clear increase in reports on French territory. Vinci Autoroutes also had to publish a warning in January, recalling that no operation to distribute emergency kits was underway. “” Fraudulent emails usurping the identity of Vinci Autoroutes circulate “Indicates the company, specifying having filed a complaint.
If you have been trapped, it is important to act quickly. First step: contact your bank to oppose the samples. Then report the site or the suspect message on Signal-Spam.fr and file a complaint with the police. The more the cases documented, the more the authorities can hope to go back to the networks behind these campaigns.
In the meantime, a good reflex to adopt: beware of too attractive offers, especially when presented as “urgent”, “free” or “exclusive”. Especially if they request a payment, however minimal it may be.
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