Email phishing is a fraudulent technique in which cybercriminals send emails that appear to come from trusted organizations (banks, companies, government agencies, etc.) in order to deceive the recipient. The goal is to trick the victim into providing sensitive information (login credentials, passwords, banking data) or clicking malicious links, often leading to a fake website.
https://www.cybermalveillance.gouv.fr
Here are some examples of Email Phishing:
1.Phishing disguised as tax administration messages (DGFiP)
Cybermalveillance describes campaigns in which scammers send emails pretending to come from the DGFiP (French Public Finance Directorate), announcing an alleged tax refund. The message may contain a link to a fake website imitating impots.gouv.fr.
https://www.cybermalveillance.gouv.fr
2. Phishing related to Health Insurance (Ameli)
Cybermalveillance reports fraudulent emails impersonating Ameli (French Health Insurance), announcing a “refund” and redirecting victims to a fake website designed to steal their data.
https://www.cybermalveillance.gouv.fr
Avast analyzed one of these campaigns: in some fake emails, the insured person is asked to click a link leading to a site that looks like Ameli, but the URL is not Ameli’s (e.g., redirection to a foreign domain).
https://blog.avast.com/fr
The Health Insurance Fund (Ameli) warns on its website that fraudulent messages change regularly.
https://www.ameli.fr
3.Phishing through fake fines
ANTAI (National Agency for Automated Processing of Offenses) warned about fraudulent emails pretending to come from the agency, asking recipients to “settle” unpaid fines via links to malicious sites.
https://www.antai.gouv.fr
What these fraudulent emails typically contain:
– Spoofed sender name: for example “DGFiP,” but the actual email address is not official.
https://www.cybermalveillance.gouv.fr
– Message announcing a refund (taxes, health insurance, fines, etc.) to encourage clicking a link.
https://www.cybermalveillance.gouv.fr
– A link that looks legitimate but leads to a fraudulent site (sometimes via URL shorteners).
https://www.impots.gouv.fr
– Lack of personalization (for example, the email does not mention your name).
https://blog.avast.com/fr
– Requests for sensitive data: bank card details, login credentials, tax number, etc.
https://www.impots.gouv.fr
– Use of official logos (DGFiP, Ameli…) to make the email look credible.
https://www.cybermalveillance.gouv.fr
Why are these examples important ?
– They show that scammers target highly credible institutions (tax office, health insurance) to maximize the chances of victims falling for the scam.
https://www.cybermalveillance.gouv.fr
– They illustrate sophisticated techniques: very similar fake domains, masked links, designs almost identical to the original sites.
https://www.cybermalveillance.gouv.fr
– They highlight real risks: loss of personal information, theft of money, identity fraud.
How to protect yourself ?
– Check the URL: before clicking a link, hover your mouse over it to see the actual destination.
– Go directly to the official website: instead of using a link in an email, type the site’s address yourself in your browser.
– Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): use it whenever possible — it adds an extra layer of security.
– Use strong, unique passwords for each service: do not reuse the same password everywhere.
https://www.cybermalveillance.gouv.fr
– Keep your software up to date: antivirus, browser, operating system — staying updated reduces vulnerabilities.
https://www.economie.gouv.fr