The fraud rate on card payments reached its lowest historical level in 2025. At the same time, manipulation scams (fake advisor, IBAN substitution, pressure validation) surged by 34% year-on-year to reach 516 million euros, accounting for 41.6% of total payment fraud according to the 2025 OSMP report published by the Banque de France.
This gap between technical security and human vulnerability redefines the criteria for choosing a bank.
Manipulation Fraud: What the Bank Can Actually Block
Securing card transactions (3D Secure, tokenization, strong authentication) works. The problem has shifted to the customer themselves, who validates a transaction under the influence of a scammer posing as their bank advisor.
Not all banks manage this risk in the same way. Some institutions have implemented systematic outgoing call mechanisms as soon as an unusual transfer is initiated. Others settle for a passive alert SMS. The difference is tangible: a phone call triggered by the bank can interrupt an ongoing scam, whereas a simple SMS will be ignored by a client already under pressure.
We recommend checking three points before subscribing:
- Does the bank offer a temporary blocking of instant transfers configurable by the client, with a configurable confirmation delay?
- Is there an automated outgoing call protocol when a transfer exceeds an unusual threshold?
- Does the customer service have a dedicated fraud hotline reachable in real-time, separate from general support?
Instant transfers, which accounted for 17% of the total volume of transfers issued in 2025, amplify the risk: once the transaction is validated, the funds are transferred in a few seconds with no possibility of a traditional recall. It is in this area that the differences between institutions become tangible.
To compare anti-fraud measures and pricing conditions of the main institutions, the detailed sheets available on the LB Expert Crédit bank website allow for cross-referencing these security criteria with fee schedules.
Bank Pricing: Beyond Advertised Free Services
The free banking card remains the main selling point of online banks. It masks significant discrepancies in truly costly items.
Foreign transaction fees are the primary hidden cost. A bank that advertises zero account maintenance fees but charges 1.5 to 2% on every payment outside the eurozone will be more expensive for a regular traveler than an institution charging a modest monthly fee with international transactions included.
The weight of financial services in the consumer price index for French households is decreasing, at 0.49% according to Eurostat in 2024, which is half the average of the eurozone. This overall figure does not reflect individual disparities. A client who uses an authorized overdraft, makes out-of-network withdrawals, or holds multiple cards will pay significantly more than average.
Key Items to Compare
The annual fee statement, mandatory for several years, standardizes presentation. We observe that clients rarely compare the right items.
- Intervention fee per transaction in overdraft: some neobanks like Nickel or Revolut do not offer overdraft at all, which eliminates this risk but limits flexibility
- Fees on outgoing instant transfers: free at some online banks (BoursoBank, Fortuneo), charged at most traditional networks
- Premium card fee (Visa Premier, World Elite): the gap can range from simple to triple between an online bank and a physical network
Online Bank, Neobank, or Traditional Network: Technical Choice Criteria
The distinction between first-generation online banks (BoursoBank, Fortuneo, Hello bank!, BforBank) and neobanks (Revolut, Nickel) is not limited to the mobile interface. It concerns the regulatory perimeter.
A neobank operating under a payment institution license does not cover mortgage credit or regulated savings products (Livret A, LDDS). A client who centralizes their finances with Revolut will need to open a second account elsewhere for their savings or credit. This fragmentation has an operational cost and complicates wealth management.
Online banks backed by a banking group (Hello bank! via BNP Paribas, BforBank via Crédit Agricole) benefit from the deposit guarantee of the same fund, provide access to the full range of products (credit, life insurance, PEA), and sometimes allow access to the parent network’s branches if needed.
Mobile Payment as an Indicator of Technical Maturity
In 2025, mobile payment represents one in five card payments at points of sale. This ratio is a good indicator of an institution’s ability to integrate common usage.
Neobanks excel in this area with applications designed around mobile use. Historical online banks have caught up. Traditional networks lag behind in the fluidity of the mobile experience, even though compatibility with Apple Pay and Google Pay has become widespread.
Account Opening and Banking Mobility: Residual Frictions
The banking mobility assistance service, free and regulated by law, simplifies the transfer of direct debits and recurring transfers. In practice, some mandates (insurance, energy, telecom subscriptions) do not automatically transfer and require a manual process.
Opening an online account is generally done without an initial deposit at neobanks, while first-generation online banks often require a deposit upon opening or a minimum income condition to access free card services. BoursoBank and Fortuneo condition their free offers on a minimum monthly income or a savings balance.
Choosing a bank in 2024 is no longer based on the promise of free services or the number of features listed in a brochure. It is the institution’s ability to protect its clients against manipulation fraud, combined with real transparency on current usage fees, that separates solid offers from commercial showcases.
