The Ma Prime Rénov system is today a central lever for energy renovation in France. Launched to support individuals in their insulation, heating or global renovation work, it attracts hundreds of thousands of homes every year. However, its success also attracts questionable practices. Ma Prime Rénov fraud is experiencing a worrying explosion, which is jeopardizing the effectiveness and legitimacy of this system. We take stock in this article!
Created in 2020 by the Decree No. 2020-26 of January 14, 2020 relating to the energy transition bonus, Ma Prime Rénov aims to accelerate the energy transition by facilitating the financing of housing improvement works.
Worn byNational Housing Agency (ANAH), this bonus is for all households, regardless of their income level. It applies to a wide range of works: thermal insulation, Boiler change, ventilation, etc.
Since its launch, more than 2 million records have been filed. The objective? Reduce the energy consumption of French homes and reduce their carbon footprint. However, this ecological ambition is now weakened by the resurgence of fraud.
In 2024, 44,000 fraudulent records were ruled out as part of Ma Prime Rénov, according to official ANAH figures. The interest? Avoid more than 230 million euros in damage.
However, the estimates of Finovox, an expert in the detection of document fraud, reveal a worrying gap: the fraud avoided could in fact reach 432 million euros if all fraudulent records had been identified.
The methods used are varied. We take stock together!
Some fraudsters create a fictitious identity from scratch or usurp that of a third party to file a file.
ID cards, tax notices, proof of address : all these documents can be falsified with tools that are more and more accessible.
These false documents make it possible to obtain a bonus by pretending to be an eligible owner or tenant when the person does not even exist or is not linked to the housing concerned.
Many scams involve the falsification of invoices.
These may be exaggerated amounts compared to the work actually done, invented services, or duplicates used in several cases.
Some companies with little regard do not hesitate to charge an installation twice, to two different beneficiaries, in order to obtain several subsidies unduly.
In some cases, renovation work is never carried out.
A complicit company sends an invoice and a certificate of completion of work, and the file is validated on this basis.
Even worse: some work is done but poorly done or not up to standards, which is another form of fraud.
These practices directly harm the real beneficiaries, but also the reputation of the system.
Ma Prime Rénov requires that the work be carried out by professionals certified by RGE (Recognized Environmental Guarantor). However, some files are submitted by companies that do not have this certification, or even lost it.
These unscrupulous actors compromise the quality of renovations and embezzle public money.
To learn more about the types of fraudsters, read on: What are the different profiles of fraudsters?
The majority of fraud is based on falsified supporting documents.
However, the manual control of these documents is long, expensive and unreliable on a large scale.
Files appear to be valid, but contain subtly modified elements: fake address, wrong tax number, false construction certificate.
Without appropriate technological tools, it is virtually impossible for public officials to detect these manipulations systematically. Hence the need to integrate automated document control solutions !
To respond to this threat, a new anti-fraud law, led by Deputy Thomas Cazenave (former Minister of Public Accounts), was just adopted this Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at the National Assembly.
Expanded to 36 articles, this law targetsAll public aid fraud. Of the energy renovation, at the vocational training, going through the electricity meters And the Telephone canvassing, all types of fraud are affected!
The text is based on three main pillars :
The law establishes a better access to tax files, Banks, Civil status Or of social security in order to be able to cross-reference data and identify fraud more easily.
In addition, it proposes a strengthening of the coordination between ANAH, Tracfin, tax services and agencies in charge of public aid.
The law establishes preventive mechanisms to limit fraud, including the possibility of temporarily suspend the payment of grants in case of serious doubt.
This suspension, which can last up to three months, allows the authorities to conduct thorough checks before validating the file.
This system aims to prevent public funds from being unduly paid before possible fraud is detected.
Sanctions against public aid fraud are strengthened, with penalties of up to up to 15 years in prison in case of organized gang fraud.
This tightening aims to deter fraudsters and to treat these acts as genuine. criminal activities.
In the midst of a hunt for public economies, the government hopes to recover up to 1.6 billion euros thanks to this reinforced arsenal.
Good to know 👀
Note that the Telephone canvassing without consent is now prohibited on all public assistance systems!
Specialist inintelligent document analysis, Finovox is developing a solution capable of detect up to 86% of fraudulent documents, based on artificial intelligence. Thanks to its tool, the company analyzes:
Applied to the case of Ma Prime Rénov, this technology could avoid up to 432 million euros in fraud, automating a large part of the controls.
For Marc de Beaucorps, co-founder and CEO of Finovox:
”The challenge is not only to detect fraudsters, it is to protect citizens and strengthen confidence in public aid.”
In addition to financial gains, the integration of Finovox would allow reduce processing times, oflighten control teams, and of ensure better equity of access to Ma Prime Rénov for the real beneficiaries.
To find out more about the fight against document fraud, or talk to an expert on the subject, contact our Finovox experts!
