Just an FYI, DGFiP, Ameli, CAF, no French agency is ever going to send you a text or a call asking for your credit card. I’m kind of blown away by the number of women who write everyday who fall for it. Am I the only person who never, ever answers my phone? My phone is always on Airplane Mode because I don’t like being bothered with notifications on my Mac when I’m working. And I hate when lazy delivery men call me like I’m going to go downstairs and meet them. Never. Gonna. Happen. I got an interphone for a reason.  

Most scamees are expats so the language barrier must be to blame. One woman told me she was on her way to the doctor and was super stressed and anxious. She received a call so she gave them her credit card number because she didn’t want to show up at the doctor and have her carte vitale not work. Umm…

Next time you receive an SMS, an email, or even those stupid Cours Adultes things the Mairie blasts me with weekly, make sure it leads you to an actual French website (www.impots.gouv.fr for example). If it’s a phone number make sure it comes from 01, 02, 03, etc (depending on your region). If calling a center make sure you’re calling something like 0 809 (impôts for example). If it’s charging you, it’s probably a scam. If they’re asking you for your credit card while telling you you will be blocked it’s probably a scam. Just go into it thinking everything’s a scam and you’ll do alright.