Warning for New Business Owners in France: Don’t Fall for “Official-Looking” Scam Letters
Introduction
Starting a business in France is exciting—but it also comes with something many people don’t expect:
👉 A wave of scam letters designed to trick new entrepreneurs.
I recently experienced this myself after creating my company, and I want to share it so others don’t fall into the same trap.
What Happened
Shortly after registering my business, I received a formal-looking letter titled something like:
“Formulaire de référencement des sociétés”
At first glance, it looked very official:
- It included my SIREN, SIRET, and Code APE
- It had a professional layout
- It referenced administrative language
- It even had a payment QR code
And then came the key line:
Pay 194.99 € within 8 days
Why This Is a Scam
Let’s be clear:
👉 This is NOT a mandatory government fee.
In France, official business registration is handled by real institutions like
Institut national de la propriété industrielle and court registries (Greffe).
They do NOT:
- Send random payment requests like this
- Ask for payment via QR code
- Pressure you with urgent deadlines
Understanding the INPI Website (and How Scammers Use It)
You can visit the official website here:
👉 INPI official website
This is an important and legitimate platform in France:
- It clearly presents business registration information
- You can search and verify company details
- It provides transparency about your business profile
👉 In fact, this transparency is a good thing.
However, there’s a catch:
⚠️ Scammers use this against you
Because the information on INPI is public, scammers can:
- Access your SIREN / SIRET / business name
- Copy your official details
- Insert them into fake documents
👉 This makes their letters look personalized and official
How They Trick You
These scam letters are carefully designed to psychologically pressure you.
Here are the common tactics:
💸 1. Amount That Feels “Reasonable”
- Around 150€ – 300€
- Not too high to shock you
- Not too low to ignore
⏰ 2. Urgency (Time Limit)
- “Return within 8 days”
- Creates panic and rush
📄 3. Official Appearance
- Clean formatting
- Administrative language
- Legal references
- Looks like government paperwork
🧾 4. Real Company Data
They include:
- Your SIREN
- Your SIRET
- Your business name and address
👉 But here’s the truth:
These are publicly available data (especially via INPI).
⚖️ 5. Fake “Legal” Feeling
They often include:
- Small print
- Legal wording
- References to “registration” or “publication”
👉 Hidden somewhere is usually a line like:
offre commerciale facultative (optional commercial offer)
Don’t Panic — Do This Instead
If you receive a letter like this:
✅ Stay calm
✅ Read everything carefully (especially small print)
✅ Re-check the source (Google the company, verify institution)
❌ Do NOT:
- DO NOT Pay immediately
- DO NOT Scan QR codes
- DO NOT Respond without verifying
My Personal Case
I initially paid a small fee, which turned out to be legitimate:
- It was linked to an official process via INPI / Greffe
- It had clear documentation and legal traceability
👉 That’s what real payments look like:
- Transparent
- Small, logical amounts
- Connected to an action you actually performed
The Big Trap
The scam letter tried to make me believe:
👉 “This is the next required step”
But it wasn’t.
It was simply:
A paid listing / SEO service disguised as an obligation
Final Advice for New Entrepreneurs in France
If you just started a business, expect to receive:
- Fake registry letters
- “Directory” listings
- SEO or référencement offers
👉 Most of them are not required
Golden Rule
✅If you didn’t ask for it, you probably don’t need to pay for it.
Final Thoughts
These scammers rely on one thing:
👉 Your uncertainty as a new business owner
Take your time. Read carefully. Re-check everything.
And most importantly:
👉 Don’t let official-looking paper scare you into paying.
