Spam……..

From 2011, mobile phone users in France will be able to protect themselves from spam phone call such as unwanted voicemail messages or cold callers by adding their number to an official black-list.
Spam voicemail messages and missed calls from 08 numbers, tempting the phone owner to call back at premium-rates can already be reported by calling 33700 from your mobile. These messages can now be reported

Tips from the forum

If you are receiving calls on your landline, particularly from 017 or 04306 numbers, with or without a  caller on the line, copy and paste the number into Google. You may well come up with details of a company and web site and will be able to complain.

Visit Francetelecom and register with the ‘Liste Orange’ to prevent unsolicited calls. It may not help  with silent calls, or the characteristic ‘click’ and hang up, as these are normally the sign of an automated dialler system.

 

…… and scam

Thinking of setting up as an autoentrepreneur?
If an official looking letter and form arrive from ‘Inforegistre’, demanding payment for entry into an online business register, ignore it! There are NO compulsory directory registrations and this is simply a way of scamming money out of new businesses!

Watch out too for an email scam going round claiming to be from the French tax office. It is sent from remboursement@impots.gouv.fr amongst other email addresses. It states that you are eligible for a tax refund (remboursement) and asks you to click on a link and fill in your bank details. If you receive this email DO NOT click on the link or fill in your bank details.
The emails have convincing looking headings and logos of the tax office. . The DGFiP (Direction générale des finances publiques) says that they would never ask for your bank or credit card details in this way and warns people to be vigilant and never to give any personal details by email.

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