Cold-calling in France: 43,000 reports of unwanted calls despite ban

New cold-calling rules that came into force on August 11 were supposed to stop unwanted calls from reaching consumers, but France’s consumer protection authority (DGCCRF) reports that thousands of complaints are still being filed.

The August 11 rules replaced the previous opt-out system, Bloctel, with an opt-in one, under which businesses must obtain prior consent before contacting consumers.

However, people are still reporting receiving calls, with some Connexion readers reporting having received up to seven per day.

The DGCCRF reports that from August 1 to September 30, it has received 43,000 reports of unwanted calls through its SignalConso website, according to a report in Ouest-France. 

While this means that some of the reports likely came before the new rules came into force, at the same time the actual number of unwanted calls could be far higher since the figures only include calls that people have reported.

The ongoing problem of unsolicited calls comes despite the threat of heavy fines for those violating the new rules. 

Those caught making unsolicited calls face fines up to €75,000 per call for individuals and up to €375,000 for companies. If the calls are seen to target vulnerable individuals the fine can reach as high as €500,000.

Why is this still happening?

However, Marie-Amandine Stévenin, president of Que Choisir Ensemble, France’s leading independent consumer rights organisation, told The Connexion that it remains difficult to catch the culprits since the origins of the caller is often hard to trace, since they frequently change their number.  

Additionally, some calls do not even originate from France, but instead only appear to come from French numbers.

“We need to find the right link with the state services so that they can collect this data and prosecute and sanction the companies that do not respect the legal framework,” she said.

What can you do?

Some readers said that they simply let their phones ring, as engaging with the call, even by declining it, can indicate that the number is still active.

“I’ve been told the best thing to do is let it ring out - if you decline it, they know it’s a live phone and will keep trying. Doing that has reduced the number somewhat,” one reader said.

Another way to reduce unwanted calls is to install one of the apps designed to block them, at least until the state finds a more permanent solution.

Such apps include Saracroche, Préfixe Bloqueur and Protected.

Both Saracroche and Préfixe Bloqueur are free to install and use, while Protected requires a subscription.

Préfixe Bloqueur is also not available on iOS, meaning only Android users can use it. iPhone users looking for a free tool can download Saracroche.

These apps automatically block unwanted calls, with many users reporting that Saracroche, for example, blocks between 10 and 20 calls per day.

Another option is to use a feature available on newer phones that allows people to activate a setting under which callers whose numbers are not in their contacts must identify themselves and explain why they are calling.

The person receiving the call can then decide whether they want to answer it or not.

Exceptions to the rule

It is important to note certain circumstances in which the new prohibition does not apply. 

For example, a company is still authorised to contact you by phone if it has an existing contract with you. 

The same is true for companies that have received a request for a quote from a consumer - although in this case they must make the call within five days. 

Print media companies are also allowed to cold call you to offer subscriptions, and business-to-business sales calls are also allowed.