A new investigative report, Cash Investigation, led by Elise Lucet and edited by Sophie Le Gall, explores the tactics used by cybercriminals who defraud individuals through phone calls and SMS messages. Scheduled for broadcast on France 2 on September 10, the report investigates how personal data is stolen, sold, and used to target victims. In 2025, France’s data protection authority, CNIL, recorded 6,125 data breaches across companies and public institutions, with some sources reporting up to 6,167 breaches. The summer of 2026 saw a surge in cyberattacks against key organizations, including the DGFIP (tax administration), the Ministry of National Education, and others. Once personal data is stolen, it is frequently sold in parts on hidden, or clandestine, websites. These cybercriminal networks are often organized into three distinct roles: “sellers,” who gather and sort personal information; “distributors,” who initiate fraudulent calls or texts to contact victims; and “technicians,” who create fake websites to collect credit card details. These groups operate internationally, and some are based in France. Certain “sellers” even offer “ready-to-use” data files, enabling cybercriminals to purchase targeted customer information based on criteria like age, location, or bank affiliation. Victims are often tricked into visiting fake merchant websites through deceptive phone calls or SMS messages, where they are asked to enter sensitive information, such as credit card numbers or login codes. These details are then directly captured by the fraudsters. “Distributors” often pose as bank representatives to extract financial information, using scripts to mimic real customer service and build trust. Some “sellers” even produce instructional videos, offering “special fraud training” that outlines the steps of a scam. The financial impact of these scams reached 382 million euros in 2024, and the figure is expected to keep rising. The report also raises questions about the responsibility of businesses and public institutions in safeguarding personal data. Journalist François Cardona spoke with a hacker who explained how he breached the systems of two major French companies. In the summer of 2026, an unprecedented wave of cyberattacks hit France, targeting the Ministry of National Education, the tax administration, and SFR. Major corporations, including Air France, Chanel, and Kering, were also affected. A former hacker recently released from U.S. prison detailed the methods of the “Shiny Hunters,” a group linked to high-profile cyberattacks. The investigation features interviews with victims, cybersecurity professionals, and industry leaders. Among them are David, a victim of a data breach at the DGFiP; Clément Domingo, an ethical hacker known as SaxX; Yasmine Douadi, a cybersecurity expert; and Nathalie Goulet, a senator. The report also covers the arrest of the cybercriminal group “DumpSec” and the theft of data from ANTS, as reported by the French Ministry of the Interior.