During the back-to-school season, French bank customers have been receiving SMS messages that look legitimate but are actually part of a clever scam. These messages often mimic regular bank alerts, warning recipients of a suspicious transaction and urging them to call a specific number to prevent fraud. However, these numbers are not linked to any bank and are used by scammers to trick victims into revealing personal or financial information. According to the Banque de France, fraud through phone and SMS manipulation increased by 37% in the first half of 2025, with victims losing an average of 3,000 euros each. The scam typically involves a fake advisor who, after confirming a suspicious transaction, asks for personal details, SMS verification codes, or requests the victim to approve transactions through their banking app. This method, known as phishing with a fake bank opposition number, has become more common since 2024 and has spread widely in 2025. The effectiveness of this scam relies on creating a sense of urgency. The SMS messages often push victims to act quickly without time to verify the message’s legitimacy. The numbers provided are usually not charged, which adds to the message’s credibility. Scammers have also adapted to new legal protections, like the Naegelen law, which requires phone companies to block calls from unverified numbers. However, scammers now use regular mobile numbers, making it harder to tell them apart from legitimate calls. To avoid falling victim, people should never call the number provided in such SMS messages, even if it looks official. Instead, they should contact their bank directly using the number on their card or contract. It’s also important to remember that no legitimate bank will ask for SMS verification codes over the phone. If a message seems suspicious, it can be reported to 33700, a service dedicated to combating message fraud, or through the Signal Spam platform. If there are still doubts after a call, contacting the bank quickly is recommended to check if any transactions were approved without the victim’s knowledge.