Fake letters from authorities and pornography-related accusations
- Admin
- 6 days ago
- 6 min read
When fraud becomes a psychological weapon
By WAAD – Web Abuse Association Defense
Every new year brings its share of cybersecurity alerts. As we explained in our previous article, phishing campaigns are intensifying and constantly evolving. But for several months now, one practice in particular has exploded — and its consequences are far more serious than we imagine .
Fake letters purportedly issued by French authorities — police, gendarmerie, ministry, sometimes even Europol — accuse their recipients of offences related to viewing pornographic sites , sometimes with even more serious terms: pedocriminality, illegal content, criminal networks.
At first glance, it might seem amusing. Wrongly so.
👉 People have already committed suicide after receiving this type of message. Not because they were guilty. But precisely because they weren't.
Court summons scam in France
A large-scale scam in France involved sending fake emails from the police or the courts accusing people of child pornography , threatening prosecution if they did not pay a "fine." Within this context:
Nineteen people have been arrested in France and Belgium in connection with this scam, which netted the fraudsters at least €3.5 million . (ladepeche.fr)
Nearly 150,000 reports have been registered via Pharos , and more than 300 complaints have been filed.
Six investigations have been opened following suicides “potentially linked” to this scam , according to the gendarmerie. In one case, a victim who had already paid several thousand euros took his own life after being subjected to double financial extortion . gendarmerie.interieur.gouv.fr
👉 This case illustrates that phishing campaigns that impersonate official identities and exploit shame or fear can cause serious human tragedies , including suicides.
A dangerous misconception: "I have nothing to reproach myself for."
The most common reaction to these fraudulent emails is as follows:
"I haven't done anything, so I'm not at risk."
Or again:
"Only people who have something to hide can be affected."
This logic is flawed — and dangerous.
She completely ignores the central psychological bias exploited by scammers :
👉 the false accusation , experienced as an imminent public exposure.
The real psychological mechanism: false accusation and anticipated shame
These emails don't work on actual guilt. They work on the fear of being accused .
For an honest person, respectful of the law, sometimes very attached to their image, their family, their work, receiving such a serious accusation acts as a traumatic shock .
The brain does not process this message like a simple email. It registers it as:
damage to reputation ,
a threat of social exposure ,
a profound injustice ,
sometimes even imminent defamation .
It's exactly the same mechanism as in doxxing , online defamation, or digital harassment campaigns.
The person instantly imagines:
His close relatives have been informed.
His employer was alerted,
his name associated with heinous acts,
Her life destroyed, even if she is innocent.
👉 Fear does not come from the punishment, but from the gaze of others.
Why the most upright people are sometimes the most affected
It's a cruel paradox.
The victims most vulnerable to this type of scam are often:
upright people ,
respectful of the rules ,
unfamiliar with judicial mechanisms,
sometimes isolated or psychologically vulnerable.
Faced with such a serious accusation, some people:
They don't dare talk to anyone about it.
feel an immediate and unjustified shame,
panic
lose all rational bearings.
In several cases documented in France by the press and victims' associations, people took their own lives after receiving such messages , convinced that their lives were over — even though it was a blatant scam.
These tragedies are never due to guilt , but to the psychological breakdown caused by the false accusation .
How to recognize these fake emails from authorities
1. The police NEVER send this type of email
That's an absolute rule.
Neither the National Police, nor the National Gendarmerie, nor a prosecutor, nor a judge, nor a ministry contacts a suspect by email for this type of offense.
➡️ Never.
2. No criminal procedure can be settled by an "online fine"
Another key point:
Offenses related to illicit sexual content are crimes or criminal offenses .
They involve:
an investigation,
an official summons
sometimes a search,
a legal procedure,
a judgment,
sentences that may include prison and treatment requirements.
👉 Never just a simple fine to pay on the Internet.
👉 Never a payment link.
If you receive an email asking you to "rectify the situation" by paying:
➡️ It's a 100% scam.
3. The technical details betray the scam
These emails almost always contain:
a suspicious sender address,
spelling or syntax errors,
an excessively alarmist tone,
copied and pasted logos,
approximate or invented legal references.
The goal is not to be legally credible, but to provoke immediate panic.
Why these scams are particularly violent
Unlike other financial scams, these:
affect the moral identity of the person,
exploit social shame
psychologically isolate the victim,
often prevent any request for help.
Some victims tell us:
"I knew I hadn't done anything... but I felt like everyone was going to believe me."
That is precisely where the danger lies.
How to protect yourself — psychologically and practically
1. An email is still an email
However violent it may be, an email:
has no legal value .
does not constitute a procedure ,
does not trigger anything in itself .
Don't react in a panic.
2. Never pay, never reply
Do not click on any links
Do not respond
Do not provide any information
Report the message as spam and keep it only as evidence.
3. Talk about it immediately
This is the most important point.
👉 Never face this type of message alone.
Talk to:
a close relative
a friend,
a colleague,
an association that helps victims,
or to professionals.
Talking defuses fear .
The role of WAAD
At WAAD , we support victims:
phishing,
of sextortion,
false accusations,
of digital defamation campaigns.
We repeat this emphatically:
No authority will ever ask you to justify yourself or pay by email. No accusation is valid without a real legal process.
These scams are not "ridiculous". They are dangerous , violent , and sometimes deadly .
Their power rests on:
silence,
shame
isolation.
👉 Talking about it, informing people, explaining — that's already a form of protection.
If this article can prevent even one person from succumbing to fear or despair, then it will have fulfilled its mission.
Legal Appendix – Phishing under French Law
The purpose of this appendix is to establish a clear, accessible and reassuring legal framework , in order to understand what French law actually says about phishing, and especially what it does not say — contrary to what fraudulent emails claim .
1. Legal definition of phishing
Phishing refers to a fraudulent technique that involves:
impersonating a legitimate authority, institution, or service,
in order to deceive a person,
to extract money, personal data or sensitive information from him.
In French law, phishing is not a grey area : 👉 it is clearly illegal and criminally punishable .
2. Applicable criminal offences
Phishing is punishable under several offenses in the Penal Code , which can be cumulative.
2.1 Fraud (Article 313-1 of the Penal Code)
"Fraud is defined as the act of deceiving a natural or legal person, either by using a false name or false identity, by abusing a genuine identity, or by employing fraudulent schemes, and thereby inducing them to hand over funds, securities, or any other property."
📌 Direct application to phishing :
fake police officer
false magistrate
fake ministry
false judicial authority.
➡️ Penalty incurred : 5 years imprisonment and a €375,000 fine (aggravated penalties in the case of organized gang).
2.2 Identity theft (Article 226-4-1 of the Penal Code)
Impersonating a public authority or a third party to disturb the peace of others is a separate offense.
➡️ Penalty incurred : 1 year imprisonment and a €15,000 fine
Fake emails claiming to be from the police or the justice system fall squarely within this framework .
2.3 Attack on an automated data processing system (ADPS)
When phishing aims to:
collect passwords,
to divert accounts,
fraudulently accessing systems,
Articles 323-1 et seq. of the Penal Code may also apply.
➡️ Aggravated penalties are possible , particularly in cases of massive or organized attacks.
3. What French law NEVER DOES
This part is essential to defuse the fear .
❌ Never send a criminal summons by email
In French law:
A criminal investigation involves material acts .
A summons is official , written, and signed.
It arrives by registered mail , or by physical intervention.
👉 No judicial or police authority notifies a criminal offence by email.
❌ Never pay a criminal fine online via email
Sexual or related offenses:
are never settled by an online fine ,
involve complex legal procedures ,
involve magistrates, investigators and court decisions.
A payment link = systematic scam .
4. Responsibility of phishing perpetrators
Phishing perpetrators expose themselves to:
criminal proceedings,
heavy sentences,
the confiscation of their winnings,
aggravated penalties in cases where the victim is vulnerable.
French law also recognizes:
moral damages ,
damage to reputation,
serious psychological consequences.
5. What legal recourse is available to victims?
5.1 Report phishing
In France, reporting can be done via:
the PHAROS platform, managed by government services,
or via the relevant cybersecurity authorities such as ANSSI.
Even without filing an immediate complaint, reporting is useful in the fight against these networks.
5.2 Filing a complaint (if necessary)
Filing a complaint is possible:
at the police station or gendarmerie,
or by mail to the public prosecutor.
📌 Important: 👉 Receiving a phishing email is never a crime. 👉 You are a victim, never a suspect.
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