Many French people have received an intriguing message in recent days, supposedly from the Doctolib service: "You are entitled to an additional refund of 23 euros pending," as reported by L'Internaute. It's a trap, don't fall for it! Sent from a dubious phone number, the text message redirects to a fraudulent link that encourages recipients to "enter [their] information" to receive the supposedly promised sum. But behind this tempting announcement lies a well-crafted phishing attempt.
A credible text message that hides a scam
This scam aims to collect sensitive data: login details, bank details, or even personal information. Cybercriminals are leveraging Doctolib's reputation, now firmly established in medical appointment scheduling habits, to gain users' trust.
Several details, however, allow us to identify the scam. First, the way the message is written: genuine Doctolib text messages never begin with "Doctolib.fr," but with "Doctolib" or "DOCTOLIB," and never prompt users to provide banking information. Second, the platform's official website remains unique: www.doctolib.fr. Any other address is suspect. Finally, Doctolib does not make any reimbursements: this task falls exclusively to the CPAM or mutual insurance companies.
This fraud attempt is not isolated. It's part of a broader trend: in 2024, nearly 34% of cybercrime cases recorded in France involved phishing, according to the government agency Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr. While the proportion is slightly down, this technique remains the most widely used to trap individuals.
SMS scams, also known as smishing, exploit the trust and speed of mobile messaging. A false sense of urgency or a promise of money is often enough to provoke an unthinking click.
To protect yourself, experts recommend never clicking on suspicious links and reporting any dubious messages on the Signal Spam platform. Immediately deleting the text message is then the best thing to do. If in doubt, it is also advisable to consult the relevant official services directly, without going through the links provided in the messages.
In short, if you receive a text message mentioning a Doctolib refund, be wary. It's better to lose 23 fictitious euros than your real personal data!
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