Credit card fraud
Verified 13 February 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)
Looking at your accounts, you see that a suspicious payment was made with your credit card? You must first to object on your card as soon as possible. It is also advisable to report fraud to the police or gendarmerie. You must then contact your bank to have the amount reimbursed. The rules differ depending on whether you are a victim of internet fraud or not.
What applies to you ?
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Vidéo - Credit card fraud, what to do?
What is a credit card fraud on the internet?
- Several cases are possible. Among the most common:
- i notice on my bank statement online purchases that i did not originate,
- i received a confirmation code on my phone for a purchase i didn't make,
- i was warned by my bank of an attempt to fraudulently use my bank card on the internet.
What if I am a victim of an internet credit card fraud?
As a priority, I oppose my card, with my bank who will give me an opposition number to keep for the rest of the procedure. Then I report the fraud on service-public.fr. At the end of this report, I will obtain a receipt, which will facilitate my regularization process with my bank.
How to make this report?
Before starting the online process also known as « Perceval », I prepare the information I need:
- my opposition number,
- my credit card number,
- and my bank statements.
To access the online approach on service-public, I must identify myself with FranceConnect. For this I use one of the accounts I have already created with proposed organizations such as taxes or amelii. Once connected to the online process, I provide information about purchases made without my knowledge.
My request will be processed by the national gendarmerie and I will receive within a few hours an email acknowledging receipt of the statement. The receipt will also be available in the « my documents » section of my personal space service-public.fr.
Why report credit card fraud?
In addition to simplifying my procedures with my bank, my report facilitates investigations
Fraud on the internet
You are victim of fraud to the credit card if you gather all of the following conditions :
- Your credit card details have been used to make online purchases
- You have not made the purchase (nor is it the purchase of another regular card user)
- The credit card is always in your possession.
Warning
If you are a victim of fraud when you no longer have your credit card, you must report the theft or the loss from your card, then lodge a complaint against actions.
Usually, you are warned of fraud in the following cases
- You notice on your bank statement online purchases that you did not make
- You have received a confirmation code on your phone for a purchase you have not made
- You have been warned by your bank of an attempt to fraudulently use your credit card on the internet.
Here are the steps to take if you are a victim of credit card fraud.
Step-by-step approach
You must do it as soon as possible to object, i.e. block the use of your card.
To do this, contact your bank or call the interbank server reserved for oppositions.
Who shall I contact
Allows you to immediately object on your credit card.
By phone
0 892 705 705
Open 7 days a week and 24 hours a day.
Purple or increased number: cost of a call to a landline + paid service, from a landline or mobile phone.
One registration number is handed to you.
You thus have a dated record of your opposition request.
If your credit card contract requires it, you must notify your agency of your objection by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt or on site, at the counter. This is not necessary if you have contacted your bank to object.
You can use the following mail template:
Confirm your statement of telephone objection to your credit card
The opposition procedure can be paid. Its cost varies according to the banks and the insurance guarantees that may be taken to cover the risk.
It is advisable to report fraud to law enforcement.
For this, you can make a report (online) or file a complaint (on site or by post):
- Reporting consists in informing the investigation services of the existence of fraud. You can remain anonymous. You will not be informed of the outcome of the case.
- The complaint is the act by which the victim of fraud informs the judicial authority. When filing a complaint, you must give your identity. This process engages you and the investigators can contact you.
The report, like the complaint, allows you to obtain a receipt, i.e. a document attesting to the registration of your declaration. You can send the receipt to your bank when you request a refund.
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Report fraud (online)
Before starting the online process, also called Perceval, prepare the information you need:
- Your opposition registration number
- Your credit card number
- Your bank statements.
Report credit card fraud (Perceval)
Once logged in to the online process, provide information on fraudulent purchases made.
Your request will be processed by the national gendarmerie and you will receive within a few hours an email acknowledging receipt of the statement.
Please note
If you have a Public Service account, the receipt will also be available in the « My documents » section of your personal area.
File a complaint (on site)
To file a complaint, you must go to police station or to the gendarme of your choice.
Police or gendarmerie services are obliged to register your complaint if you are a victim of a offense.
It's the public prosecutor who decides on the action to be taken on the complaint (investigation, filing without follow-up...).
Make a complaint (by post)
You can file a complaint with the public prosecutor.
To do this, you need to send a letter to court of the place of the offense or of the domicile of the offender.
Who shall I contact
Your mail should include the following:
- Your marital status and full contact details (address and telephone number)
- Detailed account of the facts, date and place of the offense
- Name of the alleged perpetrator if you know him (otherwise, the complaint will be filed against X)
- Name and address of any witnesses to the offense
- Description and provisional or definitive estimate of injury
- Your proof documents: medical certificates, work stoppages, photographs, videos, various invoices, statements...
You can use the following mail template:
File a complaint with the public prosecutor
You can send your complaint by mail or file it directly at the reception of the court.
Procedure
You must request a refund of the amount debited from your bank. Check with your bank to find out how the application should be submitted.
If you have reported online fraud to law enforcement, you must forward the receipt to your bank.
The bank must reimburse you for all debits. It must also reimburse you for any agios, i.e. payment incident fees.
The amounts must be refunded immediately and at the latest at the end of the first business day following receipt of the challenge.
Warning
If you have opposes late, your bank may refuse to pay you back. A fraudulent payment cannot be refunded if it is more than 13 months old. If this payment was made outside the, the refund period is 70 days.
Remedies
In case of dispute over a refund, you can enter the banking ombudsman.
If the intervention of the banking mediator has not brought the dispute to an end, you can take the matter to court.
The jurisdiction depends on the sums involved in the dispute.
- For a dispute less than or equal to €10,000, it is the local court or the judicial court.
- For a dispute greater than €10,000, it's the court of law.
Who shall I contact
Other situation
You're a victim of a credit card fraud if you gather all of the following conditions :
- Your credit card details have been used to make a purchase or withdrawal
- You have not made the purchase (nor is it the purchase of another regular card user)
- The credit card is always in your possession.
Warning
If you are a victim of fraud when you no longer have your credit card, you must report the theft or the loss from your card then lodge a complaint against actions.
Usually, you are warned of fraud if you notice on your bank statement purchases that you did not make.
Here are the steps to take if you are a victim of credit card fraud.
Step-by-step approach
You must do it as soon as possible to object, i.e. block the use of your card.
To do this, contact your bank or call the interbank server reserved for oppositions.
Who shall I contact
Allows you to immediately object on your credit card.
By phone
0 892 705 705
Open 7 days a week and 24 hours a day.
Purple or increased number: cost of a call to a landline + paid service, from a landline or mobile phone.
One registration number is handed to you.
You thus have a dated record of your opposition request.
If your credit card contract requires it, you must notify your agency of your objection by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt or on site, at the counter. This is not necessary if you have contacted your bank to object.
You can use the following mail template:
Confirm your statement of telephone objection to your credit card
The opposition procedure can be paid. Its cost varies according to the banks and the insurance guarantees that may be taken to cover the risk.
It is advisable to report fraud to law enforcement. For this, you must lodge a complaint.
The complaint allows you to obtain a receipt, i.e. a document attesting to the registration of your declaration. You can send the receipt to your bank when you request a refund.
On site
To file a complaint, you must go to police station or to the gendarme of your choice.
Police or gendarmerie services are obliged to register your complaint if you are a victim of a offense.
It's the public prosecutor who decides on the action to be taken on the complaint (investigation, filing without follow-up...).
By post
You can file a complaint with the public prosecutor.
To do this, you need to send a letter to court of the place of the offense or of the domicile of the offender.
Who shall I contact
Your mail should include the following:
- Your marital status and full contact details (address and telephone number)
- Detailed account of the facts, date and place of the offense
- Name of the alleged perpetrator if you know him (otherwise, the complaint will be filed against X)
- Name and address of any witnesses to the offense
- Description and provisional or definitive estimate of injury
- Your proof documents: medical certificates, work stoppages, photographs, videos, various invoices, statements...
You can use the following mail template:
File a complaint with the public prosecutor
You can send your complaint by mail or file it directly at the reception of the court.
Procedure
You must request a refund of the amount debited from your bank. Check with your bank to find out how the application should be submitted.
The bank must reimburse you for all debits. It must also reimburse you for any agios, i.e. payment incident fees.
The amounts must be refunded immediately and at the latest at the end of the first business day following receipt of the challenge.
Warning
If you have opposes late, your bank may refuse to pay you back. A fraudulent payment cannot be refunded if it is more than 13 months old. If this payment was made outside the, the refund period is 70 days.
Remedies
In case of dispute over a refund, you can enter the banking ombudsman.
If the intervention of the banking mediator has not brought the dispute to an end, you can take the matter to court.
The jurisdiction depends on the sums involved in the dispute.
- For a dispute less than or equal to €10,000, it is the local court or the judicial court.
- For a dispute greater than €10,000, it's the court of law.
Who shall I contact
Report credit card fraud (Perceval)
Online service
Modèle de document
Ministry of Economy
Insurance Bank Savings Info Service
National Institute of Consumer Affairs (INC)