Sociations, bank fraud, online scams: they explode everywhere in France. But some municipalities, large or small, are much more affected than others.
For several years, scams and fraud have multiplied in France. Identity usurpation, e-mail or SMS, false rental announcements, banking scams or fraud with means of payment: these crimes are available in many forms. The generalization of digital uses and the dematerialization of administrative and financial procedures have opened a larger land to fraudsters, which quickly adapt to new everyday tools.
But not all municipalities are affected in the same way. The figures published by the Internet user for the year 2024 clearly show the difference between the number of facts noted and the rate reported to the population. The latter is calculated for 1,000 inhabitants and makes it possible to objectively compare very different territories. Thus, cities like Normanville or Gabian appear at the top of the ranking, despite a modest population, because a few dozen cases are enough to highlight the rate. Conversely, in large metropolises, absolute figures are higher, but the reported rate remains less spectacular. For example: Paris, Levallois-Perret, Vincennes, Neuilly-sur-Seine, but also Marseille and Lyon are among the cities which record the largest number of cases in volume, without appearing in the first places in the rate classification.
Thus, we find, at the top of the ranking, the town of Villers-Cotterêts, in Aisne, which holds the national record with a rate of 33.06 per 1,000 inhabitants. An exceptional figure which places it largely in front of the other French municipalities. Behind, we find Normanville (20.62 ‰), Gabian (17.36 ‰), Rochefort-sur-Nénon (17.34 ‰) or Croissy-Beaubourg (17.27 ‰). These scores far exceed the national average, which is around 6 victims per 1,000 inhabitants in 2024.
These data confirm that scams and frauds do not only concern major cities, but also affect many small municipalities, sometimes disproportionately. According to the Ministry of the Interior, the phenomenon is constantly increasing: +61 % since 2016. In other words, the inhabitants of all regions are exposed, with increased risks in certain territories. These figures recall that vigilance remains essential, regardless of the place of residence.
