Crit’Air vignettes indicate the level of pollution of vehicles. And in some areas, they are mandatory to be able to circulate. Something to give ideas to scammers who are currently deploying Crit’Air phishing campaigns via fraudulent messages.
Crit’Air vignettes reveal the level of pollution of vehicles. They are mandatory for driving when differentiated traffic is set up during a pollution peak. And if you drive in a low-emission mobility zone. This binding legislation gives ideas to thugs. In the Pyrénées-Orientales, many users have recently received an SMS encouraging them to bring a “Crit’Air 2023 regulatory sticker”, under penalty of being fined within 48 hours.
This message should not be taken into account in any way: it is a phishing campaign like the fake owner scam that we recently denounced. This Crit-Air sticker scam has been widespread in France since September 2022. So much so that the government has devoted an entire article to it on its site dedicated to cybermalware.
The Crit’Air sticker scam is becoming more prevalent
The procedure is always the same. The SMS or e-mail sent is intended to be distressing by threatening the user with a fine if he does not comply. He is invited to click on a link to obtain the famous thumbnail. The cheated user then arrives on a fake site which faithfully reproduces the graphic charter of the real site of the Crit’Air vignettes.
He is then asked to provide information about his vehicle, personal information and… his credit card information, supposedly to pay for the sticker. This is where the trap closes in on the user, hackers being able to exploit their personal data, usurp their identity and empty their bank account.
If you receive such a message, here are the best practices to adopt:
- Do not reply to the message.
- Don’t click on the link.
- Report the scam to 33 700 or on the Signal Spam platform.
If you have given sensitive information to hackers:
- Contact your bank to object.
- File a complaint.
- Report the scam on the Home Office platform.
To read > EuroMillions: this email promises you fortune? It’s a scam!
