French lose €7.6 billion to scams in 12 months

More than half of adults surveyed in France say they’ve fallen victim

Total scam losses in France totaled €7.6 billion ($8.3 billion) in the last 12 months alone, with the average loss per victim exceeding €750 ($754.90), according to a new survey of 2,000 French adults conducted by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA)  and BioCatch , which prevents financial crime by recognizing patterns in human behavior. More than half of those surveyed (54%) reported falling victim to a scam in the last year. Shopping scams and unexpected money scams (where scammers attempt to convince consumers they’re owed money they have yet to receive) were reported as the most common types of scams victims experienced.

“What we’re seeing in France is that those slower to recognize scams aren’t necessarily older or less educated,” BioCatch Country Manager for France Matthew Platten said, “but rather quite the opposite: Nearly a third of victims are Gen Zers and a significant portion (17%) identify as highly educated. It’s a pattern we’re seeing elsewhere in continental Europe as well, and a reminder that susceptibility to scams isn’t limited to any one group.”

The survey also found the majority (81%) of scam attempts in France in the last 12 months took place on platforms with a direct message function. Gmail (45%), WhatsApp (37%), and Facebook (36%) were reported as the top three platforms on which respondents had encountered at least one scam.

“While 93% of French consumers take steps to protect themselves from scams, many rely on outdated methods like checking for spelling errors,” GASA Managing Director Jorij Abraham said. “The responsibility for scam prevention cannot fall solely on individuals, we need coordinated action from platforms, financial institutions, and authorities to shift the balance back in favor of consumers.”

Other key report findings

• Avid reporting:  More than 80% of those who said they fell victim to a scam in the last 12 months also said they reported the experience to their payment service provider. Yet, more than a third (35%) of victims said they weren’t able to recover any money.

• Some partially refunded:  Among scam victims who managed to recover funds, 46% said they were able to recoup at least part of their losses, while 33% reported no ultimate loss.

• Children also targeted:  A fifth of surveyed parents in France said their children had also been targeted by a scammer in the last year.

• More than financial damages:  Two-thirds of scam victims in France experienced emotional stress from the ordeal, while 40% said the experience impacted their mental wellbeing.

Click here to access GASA’s complete The State of Scams in France 2025 report

In the video below, GASA Research Manager Jake Emry introduces the State of Scams in France 2025 report and outlines four key priorities: building a centralised reporting and response infrastructure, mandating platform accountability, improving protection for younger users, and enhancing deterrence through stronger law enforcement action.

For full data, analysis, and recommendations, explore the complete report below.

Click here to access GASA’s complete The State of Scams in France 2025 report

About BioCatch

BioCatch   prevents financial crime by recognizing patterns in human behavior, continuously collecting more than 3,000 anonymized data points – keystroke and mouse activity, touch screen behavior, physical device attributes, and more – as people interact with their digital banking platforms. With these inputs, BioCatch's machine-learning models reveal patterns in user behavior and provide device intelligence that, together, distinguish the criminal from the legitimate. The company’s Client Innovation Board – an industry-led initiative in partnership with American Express, Barclays, Citi Ventures, HSBC, National Australia Bank, and others – collaborates to pioneer innovative ways of leveraging customer relationships for improved fraud detection. Today, more than 30 of the world's largest 100 banks and 267 total financial institutions deploy  BioCatch  solutions, analyzing 14.9 billion user sessions per month and protecting 511 million people around the world from fraud and financial crime.  

About GASA

The Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA ) is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting worldwide consumers from scams. With more than 100 member organizations, GASA unites governments, law enforcement, consumer protection organizations, financial authorities & providers, brand protection agencies, social media, Internet service providers, and cybersecurity companies in a collaborative environment to share insights, research, and solutions to protect consumers from fraud and scams. Additional information can be found at www.gasa.org .