French Court Calls for Stricter Oversight of Pensions Paid to Retirees Abroad, Citing Fraud Concerns

According to Le Figaro, the Court of Auditors has invited in its report to strengthen the fight against pensions paid abroad in order to "better prevent, detect and suppress fraud". Among the most common frauds is the identity theft of another insured person to receive their pension. It is considered by the Court of Auditors as one of the most "complex to detect abroad".

Unreported departures abroad also constitute a common fraud. But the most common concerns the failure to declare the death of a French retiree abroad. The amount of this fraud is estimated at 12 million euros in Morocco and between 40 and 80 million in Algeria, according to the institution. Nearly two million French retirees receive their pensions abroad, particularly in Algeria (31% of retirees), Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Belgium.

To better assess fraud, the Court of Auditors calls for intensifying "on-site and document-based" controls in Algeria, Morocco and other countries where French retirees reside.