The Préfecture de Police has warned that a card-terminal fraud on taxis and private-hire cars in Paris can still be in use. In a video its spokesperson published on 7 June 2026, the Paris territorial security service describes a large organised fraud it had dismantled, under the authority of the Paris prosecutor, Laure Beccuau. Prefecture video The clip's example is a fare announced at €20, with €2,000 taken. A passenger in a hurry, looking for a taxi or a VTC, the French private-hire car, gets into the first vehicle. The driver names an acceptable fare, then at the end of the journey holds out a payment terminal with the amount hidden. A few days later, hundreds or thousands of euros have left the account.
The video sets out two checks: read the amount on the terminal, and ask for a receipt. A passenger who has lost money should contact the bank at once and make a complaint as soon as possible.
What the flyer tells passengers
The prefecture's flyer, in English and in French, adds a rule for a screen that cannot be read. If it is broken or hidden, do not confirm the payment. Cash is allowed, and a passenger does not have to pay only by card. For a fare of €25 or more, the driver must print a receipt immediately, inside the vehicle. A victim can file a report on the prefecture website and at a police station. English flyer
The flyer lists what a Paris taxi must show: the fare and regulations notice, a roof light, the driver's pink and blue identification card, a licence plate with red numbers, and a meter inside the vehicle showing the tariff and the total.
The prefecture's complaint form describes that plate as a black plate with red characters on the front right wing. An invoice must be given whenever the passenger asks, or when the fare exceeds €25. The prefecture cannot deal with a refund of an overpayment. That is for an agreement with the driver, or for a complaint to the police. Complaint form
Paris je t'aime updated its note for hotels, guides and other businesses on 22 July 2026. It repeats the Taxi Parisien roof light, the meter, the professional card visible inside the vehicle, and the official fare notice. Visitors should use official ranks only, and should not accept an approach in an arrivals hall. If there is any doubt, book with a recognised company. Paris je t'aime note
A charge at Gare du Nord
The Connexion reported on 3 November 2026 that the prefecture had issued a warning about two months earlier, after a woman found she had been charged €1,500 for a taxi journey at Gare du Nord. She alerted the police. The driver ran off on foot and was arrested in Aubervilliers about 30 minutes later. In the same article, a journey from the Trocadéro, quoted at €38.60, reached the passenger's account as €2,500.
Four men in June
Le Parisien reported on 6 June 2026 that four men, in their thirties, were placed under formal investigation in Paris on Friday 5 June for organised fraud, receiving stolen goods and money laundering. The headline illustrates the method with a fare moved from €19 to €1,900 on a rigged payment terminal. The suspected period is December 2024 to January 2026, in Paris, the Val-de-Marne and the Hauts-de-Seine, with tourists picked up at well-known sites. At least 80 people had complained. The reported loss is €680,000. Three were remanded that evening. One was released under judicial supervision.