https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from France in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed It's no secret that pickpockets thrive in France, especially Paris. Here's how to stay safe from passport thieves. https://www.thelocal.fr/20160811/travel-in-france-how-to-stop-your-passport-getting-pinched Thu, 11 Aug 2016 16:35:18 +0200 travel-in-france-how-to-stop-your-passport-getting-pinched French Ligue 1 giants Marseille were the victims of a €700,000 ($793,000) international bank transfer scam to China last year, sources close to the case told AFP on Friday. https://www.thelocal.fr/20150130/marseille-victim-of-700000-chinese-scam Fri, 30 Jan 2015 16:15:00 +0100 marseille-victim-of-700000-chinese-scam A French crook who earned his nickname 'conman of the stars' by ripping off the rich and famous has been at it again and this time he allegedly had the help of a French special forces legend. The Local takes a look at the barely believable tale of Christophe Rocancourt. https://www.thelocal.fr/20141010/french-conman-of-the-stars-back-in-trouble Fri, 10 Oct 2014 17:52:00 +0200 french-conman-of-the-stars-back-in-trouble Even Paris’s most senior policeman isn’t immune to the 'bracelet' scammers who prey on hordes of tourists in the capital every day, it would seem. The top cop was himself recently attacked while on an official visit to observe the crooks at work in Montmartre. https://www.thelocal.fr/20140910/paris-top-cop-attacked-at-sacre-coeur Wed, 10 Sep 2014 19:17:00 +0200 paris-top-cop-attacked-at-sacre-coeur Being locked up in a prison cell proved to be only a minor inconvenience for one French crook, who somehow managed to continue his life of crime despite being behind bars. https://www.thelocal.fr/20140206/crook-scams-old-ladies-from-prison-cell Thu, 06 Feb 2014 15:20:00 +0100 crook-scams-old-ladies-from-prison-cell A 21-year-old man in eastern France has been caught – quite literally – with his pants down, after falling for an elaborate online extortion racket and being filmed performing a striptease for his virtual girlfriend. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130506/french-student-tricked-by-internet-striptease-scam Mon, 06 May 2013 11:50:00 +0200 french-student-tricked-by-internet-striptease-scam Pay €10 to enter a "miracle" lottery for the chance to win a dream French home. If you don’t win, you get your money back. It seemed too good to be true, and it was. Three people have been charged with fraud. The victims are in shock. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130125/provence-villa-con-property-home-house-france Fri, 25 Jan 2013 13:45:00 +0100 provence-villa-con-property-home-house-france