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Banking

Why bank cards are changing in France

The new payment systems aim to make it easier to shop online and to fight fraud

Major French bank hits overseas clients with ‘admin fees’ of up to €300 a year

Many second-home owners in the UK and US are affected

French banks begin to use Wero - the EU rival to Apple Pay

The new payment system is launching for clients at some French banks in October

news

Overdraft fees, pay, ecology: three French banks criticised in new report

Three major banks scored poorly on social and environmental factors including investing in tax havens and deforestation projects, and large staff pay gaps

Apple Pay: can you use with French bank cards, Navigo, OrlyBus, RER?

The iPhone is to open up its contactless payment system after a ruling by the European Commission

You can now earn interest on some current accounts in France

Rates of 4% are being offered for three months with one French neobank. Note that tax is due on any gains unlike with certain state regulated savings accounts

How to plan your long-term finances when moving to France

Christopher Davenport of Kentingtons financial firm explores the complexities of tax and investment changes when moving countries

Letters: Is France lagging behind UK in banking security?

Connexion reader says phone call from bank seemed more like a scam

Can you open a bank account in France without a local address?

Banks are free to deny an account to anyone and are not required to provide justification for their decision

3% rate on France’s main regulated savings account to stay this year

Court rejects appeal by law professor for twice yearly updates as is set in the rules

How to avoid falling victim to ‘false bank advisor’ scams in France

These types of scams have ‘exploded’ in recent years, says a cybersecurity expert

Are non-residents eligible for high-interest French savings account?

French banks offer several options for higher than normal interest rates, subject to certain requirements

What changes in France in 2024 for money, tax and banking?

We look at the new banking regulations, property declarations and tax bands

Are SCIs required to have their own French bank account?

There are no laws requiring this, but there are strong recommendations

Five tips on how to avoid credit card fraud in France

We also look at what to do if you are a victim of bank card scam

Residents of France: Neobank may be solution if UK bank closes account

Some mobile banking apps allow you to receive and make payments in several currencies at little or no fee

Barclays closes accounts of Britons in France: what about other banks?

We asked other main UK banks about their intentions for account-holders in France

French residents with UK premium bonds warned of bank charge risk

Letters sent by NS&I say the bonds may not be practical if you no longer have a UK bank account

Changes to French banking law will help Americans refused an account

We explain the process where Americans and others struggling to open an account are allocated a bank through a simplified ‘right to a bank account’ rule

It is a mistake to close so many local banks, claims French think-tank

Economics expert says banks must learn from the Titanic: ‘being a giant does not save you from a shipwreck’

Banking in France without a mobile phone is near impossible

Crédit Agricole insist on a mobile phone to receive SMS and security codes for online banking - otherwise ‘tant pis’ says reader

Why did Barclays, HSBC and ING banks struggle to make money in France?

These global financial giants could not make enough profit to be viable in the French banking system. We ask a French finance expert to explain

Do online ‘neobanks’ protect our money like ordinary French banks?

Internet-only financial services operate in a different way to traditional banks, and so does the way in which their customers’ funds are guaranteed

Can I pay a UK cheque into my French bank account?

When paying a sterling cheque into a French bank account the cheque may take a while to clear and there may be significant fees

Can I contact a mediator over issues with our French bank?

Each bank in France has its own mediator and they offer free consultations, however first thing to do in this instance is to contact your personal adviser

How to compare French bank fees online

There are 15 different fields available online, including bankcard costs, Sepa bank transfers, general account charges, cash withdrawals, and insurance against bankcard theft

Five steps to help prevent bank fraud in France and advice if targeted

Help stop fraudsters from accessing your account by taking simple steps to protect yourself and find out about your rights if you have money stolen

Brexit threat to reader’s life insurance ‘security’

Cancelling accounts for Britons in the EU could have knock-on effects, such as life insurance policy validity

British banks to close EU residents’ investment accounts

Several British banks have confirmed that the accounts of investment or wealth management customers in France will close before 2021

Brexit and Britons in France: Consider a neobank account

An account with a digital 'challenger' bank may be of interest in times of uncertainty due to the end of the Brexit transition period

Should my French bank be offering an éco-prêt green loan?

All France's major retail banks have signed up for the éco-prêt scheme

Banking post-Brexit in France: time to ‘think local’

In this month's money column, Bill Blevins covers what to expect regarding UK-based financial services for Britons in France after 31 December

What is changing in France in November 2020?

Gas prices and cigarettes get more expensive, bank fees are capped, and winter rights for renters begin

Victims of fraud in France less likely to be reimbursed

An inquiry found victims were now at least 4% less likely to be reimbursed, despite the legal rules for consumer fraud improving this year

Barclaycard stopping cards for residents in France

The Connexion has heard from many readers concerned after being told Brexit means their Barclaycards will be cancelled because they live in France.

Do French banks still offer prêt viager hypothécaire loan?

A money-related reader question answered in our August issue.

Fewer ATMs in France amid Covid, online, and cashless trends

ATM cash machines are disappearing in France as cash use decreases and digital banking rises, amid fears that the Covid-19 crisis may exacerbate the issue due to people using contactless methods.

Americans' bank issues in France: reader feedback

Americans are subject to income declarations and can be taxed as appropriate in the US no matter where they live in the world. This has caused some problems for US citizens looking to open bank accounts in France.

Traditional French banks under pressure as customers switch

An increasing number of people in France are changing banks - including many to new "digital banks" - with the quality of customer service and high fees cited as major factors in the decision to switch.

HSBC France cuts jobs - what effect on local branches?

HSBC France has announced hundreds of job cuts in Paris – but it has clarified to The Connexion that the impact is only on its investment banking side, not retail banking for the public and businesses.

Fingerprint card payments coming to France in autumn

You could soon make a card payment using your fingerprint in France as a French bank is set to launch the system this autumn.

Group helps taxing concerns of US citizens in France

For US citizens living overseas, taxation is major problem

Cross-border banking is a mobile app away

French banking authority warns on fake bank websites

Fake online banking sites are becoming more common, a French authority has said, with the public warned to be alert to scams and fake URLs.

BNP online banking services down

'Internal IT incident' leaves tens of thousands of French customers of BNP Paribas, Hello Bank and Cetelem unable to access online services

Go online for free banking

Reading the recent news of a freeze on French bank charges and subsequent readers’ comments, I’d like to add that I have recently changed my French bank from Crédit Agricole to Orange Bank online (arranged at my local Orange phone shop).

Banks’ good and bad results in stress tests

French banks have passed the European Central Bank’s stress tests that assess whether they can cope with financial shocks such as the 2008 crash.

Supermarkets offer ‘cashback’ for first time in France

Shoppers will be able to ask for “cashback” from their supermarket cashier for the first time ever in France, as the Casino group prepares to roll the scheme out across 150 stores nationwide.

Minister seeks €200 annual cap on French bank charges

The French minister of economy and finance Bruno Lemaire is seeking to introduce a cap of €200 per year on banking charges for people of the most limited means.

Cash still popular in France despite other pay options

French people are still very likely to use cash to pay for goods, despite the increase in online shopping and the continued development of other, more high-tech forms of payment.

What to do if a client’s cheque bounces in France

I run a small business in France and many of my clients settle by cheque. I have received a cheque that has bounced but the client is not returning my calls. What can I do? J.P.

France avoids worst of Visa fault due to CB system

France was largely unaffected by a European-wide system failure that caused millions of Visa cards not to work in Ireland, the UK, or Germany.

Taking a taste of France to the Channel Islands

Sponsored content: Jersey is set to host show promoting property, business and lifestyle in France

What changes in France from February 1

Gas prices and motorway tolls rise - but it will be easier to change banks

Armed man robs €75,000 from Puy-de-Dôme bank

An armed man in a cagoule who robbed a bank in Aubière, Puy-de-Dôme, and made off with €75,000, has still not been found by police.

Paris will host EU banking authority

Paris is to host the European Banking Authority after Brexit it was decided last night.

The Banque de France warns public over bank fraud

The Banque de France has warned the public to stay vigilant about possible fake emails and telephone calls, after reports of a growth in credit card fraud.

New €50 aims to beat counterfeits

Banknote will make up 45% of all euro notes in circulation and can be checked with 'look, tilt and feel' method

New EU rules enshrine right to bank account in other states

September marks a deadline for banks across the EU to start accepting customers living anywhere else within the bloc.

Higher penalties if you own up to foreign bank accounts

Penalties have been increased for people who own up to having bank accounts abroad that they had not previously declared.

Basic banking at tabacs is taking off

Simple bank accounts could be all that holiday home owners need to have in France

Check out the benefits of online banking

If you are fed up with paying bank charges and having to fork out for a credit card you could opt for online banking – and possibly receive a financial perk for doing so.