A cheerful voice announces you have won a holiday, a car, or a large gift voucher. To claim your prize, you simply need to pay a small fee. Neither the prize nor the money will ever materialise. This is the fake telephone contest scam, one of the most common forms of fraud in France.
The psychology behind it
The scam combines excitement at winning (which bypasses critical thinking) with loss aversion (fear of missing a prize already felt to be yours). A tight deadline seals the trap.
The golden rule
As the DGCCRF consistently states: a legitimate contest or lottery never requires an upfront payment to claim a prize. Any fee to "unblock" winnings is an unambiguous sign of fraud.
What to do
- Do not pay anything — hang up without explanation.
- Check the number on TelCheck (telcheck.fr).
- Report to Signal Conso (signalconso.gouv.fr) and the DGCCRF.
- If you have already paid: contact your bank immediately, file a police complaint, and call France Victimes on 116 006.