Warning over CAF holiday email scam
Fake email from Caisse d'Allocations Familiales claiming you are eligible for payout is an identity fraud attempt
A SCAM email claiming to come from the family benefits provider CAF is circulating widely this week and should be ignored, the group has warned.
The email, supposedly from the Caisse d'Allocations Familiales, says the recipient is eligible for a prime d'aide vacances - a one-off payout of €152.45 to help cover the cost of holidays.
It asks for a scanned copy of your passport or ID card and proof of address no more than three months old. The documents can be used by scammers to carry out identity fraud.
The national body representing all the CAF branches in France was alerted to the problem yesterday and has complained to police about the fraud attempt.
It has invited anyone who has received the email not to reply, but instead to forward it to their local CAF to help the investigation.
The group says anyone who has handed over their details to the scammers should contact the police.
It is the third year running that the CAF has been aware of the emails, which are sent around this time of year to coincide with the start of people's summer holidays.
Photo: Laurent Renault - Fotolia.com
