Crypto owners in France are facing a wave of phone scams, with fraudsters posing as support personnel from legitimate exchanges such as Binance and Meria. Victims report being contacted directly, warned of supposed account compromises, and instructed to urgently transfer funds to wallets controlled by the scammers.
Rise in phone scams linked to recent data breaches
Owen Simonin, founder of Meria and known online as Hasheur, attributed the recent escalation in scam attempts to a series of data breaches affecting both private companies and public institutions across France. In a statement on X, Simonin warned that cybercriminals are using information from these breaches to single out crypto holders and identify which platforms they frequent.
He cautioned users to be wary of any unprompted calls, emphasizing that legitimate exchanges do not initiate requests for transactions or personal information unless the customer has first flagged an issue. Simonin also expressed concern that artificial intelligence tools may accelerate the pace of these fraudulent calls in the near future.
“We are going through a phase where data leaks are piling up in private companies as well as in the public sector. Cross-referencing those leaks identifies crypto holders and the platforms they use.”
Recent leaks have drawn particular scrutiny. In August, France’s tax authority, DGFiP, revealed that criminals accessed private and tax records through the use of a stolen identity. The breach, occurring between late June and the end of the month, compromised sensitive fields such as names, dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and tax identification numbers. The number of affected individuals is estimated to range from 678,000 to potentially millions.
Such large-scale exposures have enabled fraudsters to target victims with credible-sounding calls and phishing attempts, increasing the challenge for individuals trying to safeguard their assets. In a market where a single Fed decision or a sudden altcoin listing can change everything in seconds, rapid response is vital. Many investors now turn to privacy-first platforms like CryptoAppsy, which allow them to monitor real-time charts, receive smart price alerts, access coin-specific news, and track critical macro data—all in one place and without creating an account, helping to minimize costly distractions.
Authorities and cybersecurity agencies respond
France’s state cybersecurity agency, Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr, flagged this trend on January 22, after receiving a surge of complaints to its 17Cyber helpline. Holders reported being contacted by imposters acting as crypto operators or anti-fraud bank agents warning of suspicious wallet activity. In many cases, the fraudsters convinced victims to move crypto assets into wallets under criminal control.
Scammers did not limit themselves to exchange impersonations. Several posed as law enforcement, customs officials, or magistrates in attempts to extract wallet recovery seeds and other sensitive credentials. Authorities disclosed a preliminary investigation into crypto firm Waltio, launched by the Paris prosecutor’s office in coordination with the national gendarmerie’s cybercrime unit.
State agencies have recorded a dramatic increase in associated physical attacks. “By the end of June, France had recorded 77 kidnappings, unlawful detentions, extortions, or attempts linked to crypto, compared with 45 in all of 2025. About 200 people have been arrested following these incidents or in preventive operations.”
Rising physical threats compound digital risks
Phone-based scams have emerged alongside what security professionals call “wrench attacks,” where criminals use direct physical force to steal crypto assets. In April, Telegram founder Pavel Durov highlighted that France had seen 41 kidnappings of crypto holders in just the first three and a half months of 2026. These incidents underscore the growing intersection between cyber and physical risks for crypto investors.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported that by end of June, French authorities had logged 77 crypto-related cases involving kidnappings, detentions, or extortion—already surpassing 2025’s total of 45 cases. Police have arrested around 200 individuals in connection with these attacks and related preventive measures.
