CPF fraud: how can you prevent it?

According to Tracfin, the amounts involved in CPF fraud have risen significantly, from €7.8 million in 2020 to €43.2 million in 2021. This increase jeopardises the rights and finances of both users and the French State. Let's take a look at the types of CPF fraud and the measures and resources put in place to combat them! 

What is the Professional Training Account? 

The Professional Training Account (Compte Professionnel de Formation - CPF) is a scheme set up by the French government. Its purpose? To enable each individual to pay contributions to finance training throughout your working life. 

Designed for employees, to jobseekers and self-employed workersThe CPF offers everyone the opportunity to acquire new skills. new skills, d'improve your qualifications or to professional retraining. 

Funded in euros, the account is credited automatically each year according to the amount of time worked. A full-time employee can therefore accumulate up to 500 euros per yearwith a ceiling of €5,000. 

This account is managed via a online platform dedicated. Contributors can : 

• Check their balance
• Search for training courses 
• Carry out administrative procedures for enrolment a training programme 

However, the success and flexibility of the CPF have attracted malicious individuals, leading to an increase in fraud. Find out more in the rest of this article.

What is CPF fraud? 

Fraudulent use of the Professional Training Account (CPF) refers to the misappropriation of funds originally earmarked for training for personal use. 

To fully understand the scale of CPF fraud, it is crucial to look at a few key figures. In 2021, the CPF was : 

• 38.8 million holders 
• A average of 1,500 euros per account 
• 2.86 million cases accepted between 2019 and 2021 

In 2021, the sums of money involved were colossal, inspiring numerous attempts at fraud. Today, CPF fraud takes many forms. What are the different types of CPF fraud? We give you the answers.

Advertising creation 

Fraudsters create adverts to encourage victims to sign up for fake training courses so that they can recover the money in their account. Their aim? To succeed in recover information from victims through campaigns phishing for example. 

Cold calling 

Fraudsters can opt for telephone canvassing. They relyt pass for training consultants. Their aim is to convince CPF holders to provide access to their account or register for a fictitious course. 

To do this, the swindlers ask for the social security number and sometimes even the CPF account password. To gain the trust of their victims, they divulge personal information such as identity, telephone number or date of birth, previously obtained through phishing techniques.

Find out more about the most common frauds: the most common frauds in 2022 

What measures have been put in place to combat CPF fraud?

In France, the law no. 2022-1587 of 19 December 2022 marks an important step in the fight against fraud involving the Personal Training Account (CPF). 

This legislation made it possible to amend the Labour Code to include thearticle 6323-8-1which prohibits all forms of commercial canvassing. It specifies that "any commercial canvassing of holders of a personal training account by telephone, by message from an interpersonal communications service, by e-mail or on an online social networking service is prohibited". 

The main objective is toprevent the collection of personal dataincluding the amount of CPF rights or the social security number. This law also discourages incentives to sign training contracts or accept promotional offers in exchange for enrolment.

And what are the penalties for CPF fraud? 

Offences relating to CPF scams can result in severe administrative fines. Amounting to from €75,000 to €375,000They aim to protecting CPF users and to ensure that training funds are used appropriately. 

How can we combat CPF fraud on a long-term basis? 

Tighter regulations and controls

To effectively combat CPF fraud, it is crucial to strengthening regulations in place andstep up controls. The legislative arsenal must be adapted to dissuade fraudsters and ensure that offences are swiftly punished. 

Raising awareness among CPF users

A key measure is to raise awareness among CPF users to the risks of fraud. Communication campaigns must be deployed to inform account holders of common fraudulent practices. They must be taught to recognise the warning signs of a scam. 

Collaboration between players in the sector

Close collaboration between the various players in the vocational training sector is essential. Visit training organisations, THE companies, THE trade unionsand public authorities must work together to share information on fraud and the strategies implemented to counter it. 

The setting up of surveillance networks and working groups dedicated to the fight against fraud makes it possible to coordinate efforts and ensure a rapid and effective response to emerging threats.

Do you need to set up an anti-fraud unit within your company or training organisation? Read our dedicated article: Set up an internal anti-fraud unit 

Setting up detection software 

The authorities must also improve their detection and prevention tools, using advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence. 

The software can then cross-reference information from different databases to detect inconsistencies or recurring patterns of fraud. 

By automating monitoring and analysis, this software significantly reduces the time and resources needed to detect and prevent fraud. 

Our Finovox software stands out for its ability to detect document fraud with real precision. Using advanced artificial intelligence, it carries out in-depth analysis of the data structures and the metadata For quickly spot inconsistencies. 

Tailored to the specific needs of each business, Finovox offers real-time alerts and an intuitive user interface. The aim? To provide a rapid and effective response to combat fraud. 

Need to learn more about the software? Request a demo!