On March 17, 2020, France confines itself to dealing with the first wave of Covid 19. On March 25, 2020 by decree No. 2020-325, the French government is setting up a system to limit the effects of the health crisis on the French economy, Partial unemployment. While it has saved businesses, it has also allowed some unscrupulous business owner to defraud.

The Ministry of Labor went on the offensive by stepping up checks on the provisions for partial unemployment. Although Muriel Pénicaud initially had to consider "a priori confidence", it is now "a posteriori control". The aforementioned decree relaxed the conditions for resorting to short-time work, thus 13.6 million French people were affected by a request for short-time work at an estimated cost of 31 billion euros. The ministry has received reinforcements from 300 officials with a view to carrying out 50,000 checks by the end of August.

Since May 22, 12,000 checks have already been carried out, including 400 after a denunciation by the unions or the employees themselves. The most controlled sectors are currently consulting firms and IT services companies (because of their possibility of teleworking). The result is for the moment speaking, out of 3000 closed files 600 have led to a regularization in their favor or against; which represents 20% of the files. On the other hand 850 were tainted with a suspicion of fraud and are subject to verification; which represents 28% of cases.

The control method is however classic, it can be done directly on the premises of the companies as it can be done on document requested of the employers. "They can conduct interviews with employees or the head of the company, even third parties, such as the IT provider, consult employees' computers, have access to network identification servers but also to their professional WhatsApp-type messaging. This period will also shed light on the extent of the powers of the labor inspectorate ". The largest share of fraud comes from the combination of teleworking and partial unemployment.

The penalties are what they are, up to two years imprisonment and a 30,000 euros fine in addition to the reimbursement of the sums received and the non-eligibility for various state aids for a period of five years. . However, this fraud can very quickly drift into fraud with aggravating circumstance (against the state) leading to a sentence of up to seven years in prison for a 750,000 euros fine. The first case or scam is mentioned concerns a business owner who created five companies with 67 employees without anyone being declared or paying contributions.