Warning over rise in telephone ‘spoofing’ scams in France: what is it?
Fraudsters hide behind someone else’s number, including banks, companies and other contacts in your phone
Scammers from across the world can pretend to be any number they want
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Scammers in France are hiding behind real telephone numbers known to you to make fraudulent calls in a practice known as ‘spoofing’.
Fraudsters are able to use telephone software to alter the number that appears on the screen of their victim’s phone to another of their choice.
They can choose to appear as a random mobile number, a contact in the victim's phone, or even as a legitimate business such as a person’s insurance company or bank.
In the case of the former, it can lead to awkward exchanges and confusion when answering a call or returning a missed call but can be particularly dangerous when scammers pose as a bank advisor or other authority.
Victims are convinced they are talking to a real advisor due to the name of the bank or authority appearing on their phone.
Gendarmes in the Finistère department warned of an increase in ‘spoofing’ incidents in the Brittany region this year.
You can also be the victim of ‘spoofing’ by scammers using your number to contact people, leading to several people calling you back about a ‘missed call’ that you never made.
Scammers circumvent new law
One key issue is that it is perfectly legal to use the software, dubbed IPBX.
Several companies use it so that workers using a standard telephone or a switchboard show as calling from the business they are employed by.
A law passed in October 2024 that attempted to stifle the practice has had limited success, largely because of the international presence of scam callers.
The new verification system brought in by the law only affects calls made from within France, however several large-scale scam call centres operate out of international destinations, often in south-east Asia.
Read more: International phone numbers are increasingly used by scammers targeting people in France
What can I do to protect myself?
If targeted by callers hiding behind another identity, the usual vigilances apply.
Never hand out personal information – especially not bank information – to people you do not know.
In this case, it also extends to people in your contact list.
If a person seems to be acting strangely or different from usual, hang up and call them back to see if they are a victim of spoofing.
Scammers can use voice filters to change how a person’s voice sounds – and then for example pretending to be sick – so you will have to go off your instinct.
Remember that bank advisors will never ask for personal banking information over the phone, even if they believe you are the victim of a scam.
Fraudsters will try to pressure you to hand over personal information such as banking app passwords.
Again, if you think something is not right, hang up and call your bank back. If there is a legitimate problem they will be able to continue solving it with you.
Read more: Five tips on how to avoid credit card fraud in France
If you believe your number has been used to contact people as part of a spoofing scam, lodge a complaint with your local police station (or online).
Using someone else’s phone number constitutes identity theft, punishable by up to one year in prison and a €15,000 fine under article L.226-4-1 of the French Criminal Code.
For further information, consult the official Arcep website.
