People in France are warned to watch out for new online scams in which fraudsters look to profit from customers struggling with rising energy bills.
The scams invite unsuspecting users to log in to fake websites that look almost identical to genuine energy provider sites.
The offers are usually sent to consumers via a link, by text or even via a Facebook post. These messages and posts generally look genuine and may appear to come directly from the energy provider. Users then click the link, and enter their details.
At this point, the scam is revealed, with some users reporting that instead of saving money, they are charged hundreds of euros. This money goes to the scammers.
One victim, Didier, told Le Figaro: “It was a fake offer. I was debited €786.”
Hundreds of people have reported falling victim to the scams, which have appeared across the energy industry. These include ‘offers’ for electricity, gas, wood pellets, or logs for wood-fired stoves.
The scammers are seeking to prey on people who are looking for ways to save money on their energy bills, as prices continue to soar.
Scam websites soar
Fraud reporting website Signal-arnaques said that this kind of fraud has increased by a factor of 10 compared to last year. The online fraud detection company FranceVerif found the same.
It said that the number of scam websites with ‘offers’ on wood-burning stoves and wood pellets had increased by 127% compared to the same time last year.
Fake websites that appear very…
