Scam: fake tax authority letters with QR codes to steal your cryptocurrencies
The national police are alerting the public to fraudulent letters purportedly sent by the Directorate General of Public Finance, containing fraudulent QR codes aimed at stealing victims' tax identification details and digital wallets.
Scam involving fake tax authority letters
According to ouest-france.fr, the national police published an alert on 29 October concerning a scam targeting holders of cryptocurrencies. Scammers are sending fake letters purportedly issued by the Directorate General of Public Finance, equipped with fraudulent QR codes or web links.
The letter mentions a "notice to comply" regarding "declarative obligations relating to digital assets". The perpetrators seek to obtain the "recovery phrase" that allows access to victims' digital wallets. Once they have this key, the scammers can empty the cryptocurrency accounts.
The scenario works in two stages. First, the victim scans the QR code or clicks on the link, which takes them to a fake website. They enter their tax identification details and other personal data. The fraudsters recover this information and then attempt to access the digital wallets to extort the assets.
The police remind people of essential precautions: do not scan suspicious QR codes, never disclose your recovery phrase to anyone, and verify directly with the official tax website (impots.gouv.fr) if in doubt about the authenticity of a letter.
The damage to targeted victims can be "colossal" according to the authorities, given the volatility and volume of digital assets.
Source: Google News FR — Crime (fr)