When your phone rings and the name of your bank appears on the screen, it’s easy to assume the call is genuine. Unfortunately, criminals have been using this trust to their advantage, launching scams that mimic official bank communications. These scams have surged in recent months, with a 78% increase in reported cases compared to the previous year. In 2025 alone, over 15,000 people sought help after falling victim to these scams, which caused nearly 245 million euros in financial damage. The personal information used in these scams often comes from major data breaches. For example, the Free and France Travail leaks exposed millions of personal details, including names, addresses, and banking information, which are now being sold on the black market. Free's breach affected 24 million customer accounts, with 5 million IBANs compromised. France Travail's breach impacted nearly 36.8 million individuals. These data are then used by cybercriminals to create detailed profiles, making their scams more convincing. One of the key techniques used by scammers is called "spoofing," which allows them to display a legitimate bank number on a victim's phone, even if the call is coming from a different location. This makes the call appear more trustworthy and reduces the likelihood that the victim will be suspicious. Scammers may also send an SMS that appears to be from the bank, directing victims to call a number that connects them to a fake security center. According to Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr, these stolen data are used to make scams more credible, creating the illusion of a legitimate interaction. In response to the rising number of cases, the organization has updated its guidelines, noting a 159% increase in assistance requests from individuals in 2025. These scams now account for about 40% of all banking frauds, a 37% increase compared to the previous year. In response, the Court of Cassation has issued new legal rulings to better protect victims, following a favorable decision in October 2024 regarding spoofing cases. Experts warn that banks will never ask for a validation code, request remote control of a computer, or urge victims to validate an operation in an emergency. If you receive such a call, the recommended action is to hang up and call the bank directly using the official number found on the bank's website or your account statements. This helps prevent falling victim to these increasingly sophisticated scams.