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The government has long known that the French face telephone scams every day. This phenomenon continues to spread. Now, when the phone rings, many citizens no longer want to answer.
The good news is that a new system will be coming very soon. In fact, it will be in place from October 1st. This system is the result of the Naegelen law, passed in July 2020which requires telephone operators to verify and guarantee the authenticity of numbers displayed during incoming calls.
Number spoofing: a growing threat
Number spoofing is a common practice among scammers. They use numbers from reputable institutions, such as banks, social security or public services, to deceive victims. This obviously makes phone scams very effective. When victims see an official number appear, they don’t suspect anything.
So, the repercussions are often serious, with significant financial losses for the victims. To counter this phenomenon, The authorities are therefore taking drastic measures.
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From October, telephone operators will be required to verify the authenticity of calls before they reach the recipient. If a call is suspicious, it will be blocked automatically, without even ringing the recipient’s phoneThis will significantly slow down the development of telephone scams.
A challenge to combat telephone scams
However, implementing this system is obviously a real challenge. According to Romain Bonenfant, director of the French Telecoms Federation (FFT), This initiative requires considerable investments in technical and human terms.
The main obstacle was the creation of a common database of telephone numbers, a world first in the sector. This inter-operator cooperation makes it possible to establish the broad outlines of an effective and innovative solution.
A gradual deployment
The system will not be fully operational at launch. Initially, it will only cover landline-to-landline calls, excluding old copper lines. Calls to mobile phones and business lines are not yet affected.
Although technology is evolving, user vigilance remains essential. The FFT reiterates the importance of educating subscribers about the risks of telephone scams. For example, in the banking sector, It is crucial to remember that an advisor will never ask for a credit card code or other sensitive information over the phone.
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The fake bank advisor scam is one of the most striking examples of the dangers of spoofing. In 2023, These frauds cost the French nearly 375 million euros, according to Julien Lassalleresponsible for monitoring means of payment at the Banque de France.
These figures illustrate the urgency of deploying effective measures against this scourge, while raising public awareness of good telephone security practices. It is therefore urgent to warn your loved ones about telephone scams. The most vulnerable people are the elderly. They are often unaware that such scams exist, so they can sometimes confide a little too much on the phone.
