The accelerated dematerialization of exchanges following the health crisis is conducive to cybercrime. Fraud involving changes to bank details (RIB) is currently on the rise in many professions, including notaries.
How does this scam manifest itself?
Fraudsters hack into email boxes and intercept messages sent or received with bank details, before they are opened and read by their recipient. They replace the attached RIB and change the sender's address. They then send the modified message back to its recipient (notary and/or client).
When transferring to the RIB received, the funds are therefore transferred to the bank account of the scammers and not to that of the notary office or the individual.
Bank details are sensitive data that can be hacked in a way that is very difficult to detect. The Notaries of France call for the vigilance of all. It is necessary to respect security rules, especially when concluding a real estate transaction.
Reflexes to adopt
- Never send your RIB by email
- Prefer sending by post or hand delivery to the office
- Contact your notary by phone for verifications
- - Remember to control the bank domiciliation of the rib* presumed of the notarial office: if it is a foreign IBAN*, do not make any transfer
(for accounts held in France, the IBAN number must begin with the two letters FR and be 27 characters long)