Numbers to block to limit telephone canvassing
Cold calling is literally taking over our lives, to the point where many people no longer answer the phone for fear of having to fight to get out of yet another commercial proposal. Fortunately, and in the face of this real daily harassment, ARCEP, the telecoms regulator, has implemented, with the government, new rules for call centers.
Since March 2023, the latter no longer have the authorization to use numbers beginning with an 06 or an 07 to carry out cold callingThe objective of this regulation is to allowing consumers to recognize them before they even have to pick up the phone. In other words, call centers only have the right to contact you under certain numbers specifically assigned to them and which can vary from one region to another. Here is the list of the most used prefixes, and therefore to be blocked to limit this scourge:
- 01 62
- 01 63
- 02 70
- 02 71
- 03 77
- 03 78
- 04 24
- 04 25
- 05 68
- 05 69
- 09 48
- 09 49
Moments of solicitation regulated by law
In addition to the numbers reserved for call centres, the law also sets out the times at which the centres are allowed to call you. Sales calls are therefore prohibited on weekends and public holidays (unless you have given your prior consent).
On the other hand, companies can only contact you during a fixed time slot from Monday to Friday: from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Please also note that they are not allowed to call you more than four times a month.
Beware of scams
Telephone canvassing, in addition to being particularly unpleasant, is also a mine of scams. The DGCCRF is increasing investigations against them. The latest, revealed by the Parisianconcerns photovoltaic panelsThe scammers pretend to be from the Ministry of Ecological Transition, promising consumers public aid, such as a solar energy check, for any purchase of a panel.
Since the beginning of 2024, approximately 20,000 reports related to telephone canvassing have been recorded on the SignalConso platform., mainly for energy renovation offers. Be particularly careful and vigilant with this type of canvassing.
How to protect yourself?
To avoid scams and abusive canvassing, you can:
- Register your number on Bloctel : This platform allows you to refuse cold calling.
- Use call blocking apps : Many apps can filter and block unwanted calls.
- Report fraudulent calls : On SignalConso, report suspicious calls to allow authorities to take action.
