The Senate adopted a bill aimed at regulating telephone canvassing and protecting consumers from unsolicited calls. This reform, carried by Senator Pierre-Jean Verzelen, introduces the obligation for companies to obtain explicit consent before any appeal. The text has now been sent to the National Assembly. At the same time, certain numbers remain particularly problematic, and their reporting is essential.
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What the bill will change
The unanimously adopted bill imposes a practice called opt-in : companies will have to obtain explicit consent from the consumer before calling them. This system also prohibits the insertion of implicit authorizations into contracts, such as in telephone subscriptions, in order to limit abuse.
The senators also insist on the removal of legal circumventions, which allowed companies to continue to canvass under the pretext of a contractual link or a hidden clause. According to Mélanie Vogel, environmentalist senator, these new rules aim to eradicate abusive practices which have “killed canvassing”.
A survey carried out by UFC-Que Choisir in October 2024 reveals that 97% of French people say they are annoyed by cold calling. The new measures aim to meet this collective expectation, while making businesses more responsible. However, Marie-Amandine Stévenin, president of the association, warns that exceptions to the text must be closely scrutinized, particularly those concerning certain sectors or contractual links.
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The codes to be blocked as a priority in 2025
Premium rate or hidden numbers remain particularly problematic. These calls, often intended for aggressive canvassing, will be impacted by the law, but they still represent a danger as long as the system is not fully operational. The UFC-Que Choisir association, which actively supports this reform, recalls that certain numbers, particularly those starting with unusual or foreign prefixes, are often linked to scams.
Here is the updated list of abusive canvassing codes in France for the year 2025:
-Metropolitan France
- 0162
- 0163
- 0270
- 0271
- 0377
- 0378
- 0424
- 0425
- 0568
- 0569
- 0948
- 0949
DOM and TOM
- 09475 (Guadeloupe, Saint-Martin, Saint-Barthélemy)
- 09476 (Guyana)
- 09477 (Martinique)
- 09478 (Reunion)
- 09479 (Mayotte)
Remember that telephone canvassing is authorized from Monday to Friday, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., then from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Any call received outside these slots is illegal: according to article L.242-16 of the Consumer Code, offenders risk an administrative fine of up to €375,000.
Also, platforms using automated calling systems can no longer use numbers starting with 06 or 07, reserved for personal mobile lines. They must conform to the dedicated prefixes mentioned previously. Unfortunately, some direct sellers use apps (like OnOff) to generate temporary numbers starting with these prefixes. A method that allows you to circumvent the rules and deceive victims.
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France
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