French Vacation Tax Audit Rumor Debunked: Viral TikTok Claim Sparks Outrage

In a TikTok video that went viral (over 1.5 million views) published on July 23 by an account that presents itself as a source of "updated daily information and news", it is stated that from September, any French person traveling outside the European Union, even for a simple vacation, would be automatically reported to the tax authorities through a system called "automatic verification of movements". According to the publication, this would be a drastic measure announced by the Ministry of the Interior and then relayed by French media such as BFMTV, franceinfo and Le Parisien.

The people most targeted would be those who "hide cash in Dubai or Morocco", it is specified. It would be planned to thoroughly examine their income, bank accounts and standard of living. In case of an anomaly, the traveler could receive a summons, be fined 10,000 euros, face a tax adjustment, or even have their social benefits suspended. Furthermore, the traveler who is unable to justify any expense over 5,000 euros would be registered as a "high-risk taxpayer" for a period of five years.

This publication has sparked outrage among many internet users. "We are becoming prisoners in this country, we can no longer do anything," "Welcome to the new North Korea" or "Where is the democracy?" they comment. In the wake of this, the editorial staff of Les Observateurs verified the information and found that none of the cited media - neither BFMTV, nor franceinfo, nor Le Parisien - had relayed such information. The media points out that the Ministry of the Interior cannot take this measure, as only the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and more specifically the Directorate General of Public Finance (DGFIP), has the competence to do so.