Unwanted calls persist in France say Connexion readers

Connexion readers in France report frequently receiving unwanted calls despite new rules coming into force in August to restrict cold-calling. 

The rules set out to reduce unwanted sales calls from legitimate French businesses, but they will not have completely stopped all nuisance calls - especially those coming from overseas.

“Spam is more than a nuisance, it can cause us to miss important calls so in effect renders our mobile phones less than useful,” said Connexion reader GF on Facebook.

He shared a screenshot of seven incoming calls from +33 numbers (France’s international dialling code) received over four days, each flagged as “suspected spam.”

Note that some callers hide their true location and display spoofed French numbers, making law enforcement more difficult.

Several readers responded to GF’s post, with some saying that since the adoption of the new cold-call regulations, they have noticed a drop in the number of calls they receive. Others report an increase in calls. 

Reader DC said the calls “stopped for a couple of weeks when the new law came in” but have since started again “in earnest.”

“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,” they added. 

“My husband gets a lot more spam calls than me. Neither of us now answer calls with unknown ID. If the call is important then the caller can leave a voicemail,” said JD. 

Reader SJ reported receiving unwanted calls “most days” and highlighted that they are “nearly all AI (artificial intelligence).”

Scammers are increasingly using AI to contact victims. AI calls can often be identified by lack of background noise, unnatural pauses and repetition of generated scripts. 

Silent calls can also be a sign of an AI scam which sometimes sees fraudsters stealing voices and identities. 

Block any numbers that call you and do not say anything, and never share personal details or banking information over the phone. 

How to help limit spam calls

Several Connexion readers recommended downloading the Saracroche app, created to block unwanted calls.

“I don’t have detailed statistics because the app doesn’t store much information (almost none) to protect privacy. But many users report that it blocks 10 to 20 calls per day, the app’s developer, Camille Bouvat, told The Connexion in an interview earlier this year.

Users download the app and activate the blocking feature, which registers the app as a call-blocking tool within the phone’s system.

Then, a database of known scam numbers is downloaded and stored locally on the device. 

Once installed, the app blocks unwanted calls automatically on the phone itself, without requiring an internet connection.

“For me [unwanted calls] stopped overnight. I already had Saracroche but before the law changed it still let a few through,” said Connexion reader, RE. 

“I haven’t had any spam calls on my mobile phone since I installed it,” said JP.

Fraudulent calls and spam messages can also be reported through the 33700 service. 

Do you regularly receive unwanted calls to your French phone number? Have you noticed a change in the frequency of calls received since August? Let us know at feedback@connexionfrance.com