The number displayed was the government agency's.

The calling number displayed can be spoofed, even for an official number. A correct number therefore never proves the caller's identity: only a call you place yourself can settle it.

I'm being accused of a serious offense and offered to settle it by phone.

No legal proceeding is settled by a phone payment, and no service announces an accusation of this kind by call. The severity of the accusation is part of the method: it's meant to prevent verification. Hang up and call the relevant service back.

Fake government official

In plain terms

A call or message presenting itself as the tax office, social security, police, or a public service. The authority invoked pushes you to respond quickly, and not to ask for verification.

Definition

The fake government official scam is the impersonation of a public service — tax authority, social security agency, police, or an energy provider acting under delegation — to obtain a payment, personal information, or access, relying on the institution's authority.

How it works

Public authority produces a reflex of obedience that few other identities allow: you don't argue with a summons, you don't keep a government agency waiting. The attacker relies on this reflex and adds a feared consequence — back taxes, prosecution, service cutoff, legal proceedings — leaving little room for discussion. Some variants flip the approach by accusing the victim of a serious offense, producing a shock effect: the person then seeks to clear themselves rather than verify. Others instead present themselves as helpful, offering to sort out a situation or provide assistance, obtaining the same information without conflict. Both share the trait of demanding immediate action and discouraging any cross-checking.

Warning signs

Call or message announcing an administrative procedure with no prior letter
Threat of a penalty, prosecution, or cutoff for not responding immediately
Request for payment through an unusual method for a government agency
A serious accusation made upfront, with an offer to settle it by phone
Request for your login credentials to a public online account
Refusal to let you call back the service at its official number

How to verify

A government agency always accepts being called back, and a real procedure leaves a written trace in your official online account. Hang up, log into that account yourself, or call the number on a letter you've already received. A public service never asks for your credentials or payment by prepaid card.

What to do

Don't pay anything and don't share any information during the exchange. Taking time to verify carries no penalty: no administrative procedure is decided in a few minutes.

If it already happened

Dispute any payment made, and change the passwords of the affected public accounts. Report the incident to the actually impersonated service, which can alert other users, then file a police report. If identity documents were shared, watch for mail from organizations you didn't contact.

Test yourself

A settlement notice, with a case number and a 48-hour deadline.

Start the simulation

Frequently asked questions

The number displayed was the government agency's.: The calling number displayed can be spoofed, even for an official number. A correct number therefore never proves the caller's identity: only a call you place yourself can settle it.
I'm being accused of a serious offense and offered to settle it by phone.: No legal proceeding is settled by a phone payment, and no service announces an accusation of this kind by call. The severity of the accusation is part of the method: it's meant to prevent verification. Hang up and call the relevant service back.

Official sources

Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr — Phishing (French government cybersecurity assistance service)

This article is part of the Social engineering family. Last updated: 2026-09-02.