France to crack down on false landline numbers in bid to halt scammers

France is to crack down on phone calls from false ‘fixed’ numbers, in a bid to stop scammers from using them to pretend to be genuine callers.

From October 1, as soon as a false number is detected, phone operators in France will be authorised to immediately disconnect the call. The aim is to stop fraudsters from using numbers that appear to come from fixed lines in a bid to pretend to be trusted callers, such as bank advisers.

The risk of being fooled by a caller is lower if you have - for example - your bank’s number in your phone mobile contacts, as this will display if the call is genuine (and vice versa if the call is from a different, possibly-fraudulent number).

Yet, for people using a landline, or who do not have the number added to their phone, it is easier for crooks to pose as genuine advisers or businesses, as their number may not appear suspicious (or, on certain older handsets), may not appear at all.

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Software for scams

Scammers are increasingly making use of internet-based phone software that can make calls appear to come from a specific number and/or a landline. This software is 100% legal and is typically used by legitimate call centres or companies who want to operate several lines or call from the same number (even if different handsets are being used).

Yet, the software is also increasingly favoured by scammers.

Read also: Bank call scams: why more people are being caught out in France

Banks are also starting to crack down on fake callers with their own methods. This includes asking their customers to confirm the call is genuine via other means. For example, they will ask you to confirm the call in their dedicated phone app, which would not work if the call was fake.