Scammed on Leboncoin, Vinted or elsewhere in France: the platform, the bank, the THESEE complaint and the time limits

02

What should you do right after a scam on a site for sales between individuals?

Keep the listing, the profile, the messages, the proof of payment or shipping and the IBAN you were given, before they disappear. Tell the other party about the problem, then call in the dispute service of the site where the sale took place (service-public fiche F34000).

Cybermalveillance advises reading the terms of use to know what recourse the platform offers, preferring its secure payment and delivery options and being wary of invitations to continue the exchange outside the site.

This route concerns evidence of a fake seller or buyer: a deceptive profile, disappearance, forged payment proof or extorted fees. Late delivery or an ordinary commercial disagreement alone does not establish fraud. For a standard undelivered order, use the ordinary non-delivery guide in French.

Sources: Service-public F34000 · Cybermalveillance

03

Can the bank cancel a transfer sent to the fraudster?

An ordinary immediate order cannot normally be revoked once your bank receives it. A scheduled order can be revoked by the end of the preceding business day; later revocation requires agreement, and some payee-initiated orders also require payee consent (article L133-8). A transfer you ordered yourself is not an unauthorised payment: it is not refunded automatically.

Call the bank at once to ask for the funds to be returned from the payee’s bank, with no guarantee of success. A payment made without your knowledge, with your card details for example, is instead covered by the refund of unauthorised payments (article L133-18).

Sources: CMF L133-8 · CMF L133-18

04

Can you file a complaint online on THESEE?

Yes if you are an adult individual: THESEE takes complaints about classified-ad scams, fake seller, fake buyer or fake rental, and the IBAN used for the payment must be entered. A professional goes to a police or gendarmerie station.

The relationship must have stayed online only. With a fake seller, the order never arrived, the seller cannot be reached and asked you for money (fiche F34000); with a fake buyer, you sent the item without being paid or they made you advance fees (fiche F34019).

Sources: THESEE · Service-public F34000 · Service-public F34019

05

How long do you have to act?

Fraud (escroquerie), punishable by 5 years’ imprisonment and a €375,000 fine (Penal Code, article 313-1), is a délit: the ordinary criminal limitation is 6 full years from the offence, in particular the last fraudulent act (article 8). Postponed starting rules for concealed offences, interruption and suspension require separate examination (articles 9-1 to 9-3).

Report an unauthorised payment without delay: the ordinary limit is 13 months from debit, with the information exception and professional agreement to check (L133-24). Non-EEA-payee card transactions can use 70 days, contractually up to 120 (L133-1-1). A refund under L133-18 requires a qualifying report and remains subject to its exceptions. Asking for a transfer’s funds to be returned is done without waiting.

Sources: C. pén. 313-1 · CPP art. 8 · CMF L133-24 · CMF L133-1-1 · CPP 9-1 · CPP 9-2 · CPP 9-3