Frauds by psychological manipulation surged by 34% in 2025 in France, reaching 516 million euros according to the report from the Payment Means Security Observatory published by the Banque de France in September 2026. This figure represents over 40% of total payment fraud.
At the same time, instant transfers are becoming widespread, mobile payments are gaining ground in proximity, and a European regulation is changing the banking validation processes. The landscape of online finance is transforming under the combined effects of regulation, new payment practices, and the threats that accompany them.
Fraud by manipulation in online finance: a problem that goes beyond technology
Classic hacking (theft of credentials, banking malware) is no longer the main vector of financial loss for individuals. Data from the Banque de France shows that manipulation fraud – fake banking advisor, IBAN substitution, pressure to validate a transaction – has taken precedence.
The mechanics are simple: the scammer exploits trust or urgency rather than a software flaw. They call pretending to be an advisor, sometimes displaying the bank’s number through phone spoofing, and then guide the victim towards a seemingly legitimate transaction validation. Security tools (strong authentication, 3D Secure) do not protect against a user who approves the transaction themselves.
For those managing their finances online, it is possible to consult the finance section of Been Online to keep up with news on best practices and sector alerts on these topics.
The response cannot come solely from banks. Telecommunications operators, messaging platforms, and website hosts are also involved in the fraud chain.
Instant transfers and mobile payments: common use, strengthened controls
Instant transfers are establishing themselves as a means of everyday payment. Their fraud rate has slightly decreased according to the same report from the Banque de France, which nuances the common belief that speed of execution equates to lower security.
However, this speed complicates the work of victims and banks afterwards. A classic transfer allows for a processing delay during which a cancellation remains theoretically possible. An fraudulent instant transfer is irreversible within seconds. Strengthening upstream controls becomes the only realistic defense.
This is precisely what European regulation 2024/886 aims for, which imposes a verification of the beneficiary before executing the transfer within the eurozone. Specifically, the bank must compare the beneficiary’s name entered by the sender with that recorded by the receiving bank. In case of a discrepancy, the user receives an alert before validation.
On the mobile payment side, the progress in proximity purchases is confirmed, as noted by Vie-publique in its presentation of the 2025 annual report from the Observatory. Field feedback varies on the maturity level of users regarding associated risks: while younger generations are massively adopting contactless and smartphone payments, their vigilance against manipulation attempts is not necessarily higher.
European regulation and online banking processes: what is changing
Regulation 2024/886 is not limited to beneficiary verification. It profoundly modifies the user journeys of online banking applications and fintechs operating within the eurozone.
- Beneficiary identity verification becomes mandatory before any transfer, adding a confirmation step that some interfaces will need to integrate without degrading the user experience.
- Institutions must adapt their data management systems to cross-check information in real-time between sending and receiving banks, which requires significant technical investments.
- Fintechs and neobanks, which have been built on the fluidity of the journey, face a trade-off between regulatory compliance and ease of use, two promises that can sometimes be contradictory.
The available data does not yet allow for measuring the real impact of this regulation on fraud volumes, as its implementation is gradual. Initial feedback should appear in the upcoming reports from the Observatory.
Increase in personal data thefts
An aggravating factor fuels manipulation fraud: the increase in personal data leaks. As highlighted by regional press, information stolen during cyberattacks against companies or administrations (name, address, phone number, sometimes IBAN) is then used to lend credibility to fraudulent calls.
A fake advisor who knows your name, your bank, and your last statement is much more convincing than a generic call. Protecting personal data becomes a link in financial security, not just a privacy issue.
Online financial management: tracking tools and current limitations
Online financial management solutions (account aggregators, cash management tools, budgeting applications) are multiplying. They allow for centralizing visibility across multiple accounts, categorizing expenses, and sometimes detecting unusual transactions.
However, their usefulness in spotting fraud depends on the frequency of consultation. An aggregator that alerts in real-time about an unusual outgoing transfer offers an additional layer of protection. In contrast, a tool checked once a week will not change anything against a fraudulent instant transfer executed on Monday.
- Real-time alerts (push, SMS) on each transaction remain the most effective mechanism for quickly detecting an anomaly.
- Automatic categorization of expenses helps identify unidentified recurring withdrawals, but does not protect against a one-time transaction validated by the user.
- No management tool replaces vigilance at the moment of validating a transaction, which remains the critical point in the security chain.
Innovation in the fintech sector now focuses as much on security as on ease of use. Players who manage to reconcile the two will have a clear competitive advantage, but field feedback shows that this reconciliation remains a work in progress rather than a solved issue.
The next publication from the Payment Means Security Observatory will allow for measuring whether the regulatory and technical measures implemented produce tangible effects on fraud volumes. Until then, the combination of active tracking tools and increased vigilance during each validation remains the best line of defense accessible to users of online financial services.
