Pay attention to the numbers you call! There are many scams going around at the moment, tricking you into calling back premium rate numbers and paying out of your own pocket!
Have you ever received calls or text messages asking you to urgently call back a number to collect a package or to contact your bank? And when you pick up, an automatic message is launched? Hang up immediately and do not follow up, because in most cases it is a premium rate scam, the exorbitant price of which will be taken directly from your telephone bill. Worse still, clicking on certain links sent by SMS can subscribe to a service without your knowledge – the famous Internet+ subscriptions – and the bill can reach hundreds of euros! A scourge which continues to grow, forcing the General Directorate of Consumption, Competition and Fraud Control (DGGCCRF) to launch a campaign to make the French aware of this type of scam, with the aim of to limit the number of victims.
As a reminder, premium rate numbers are paid numbers for which the service is billed, in addition to the cost of the call, on the telephone subscription. The surcharge may depend on the duration of the call (duration-based billing), or be a flat rate (per-call billing). These numbers often allow publishers to sell specific content or services over the telephone (information, weather forecasts, clairvoyance, etc.).
To fool you, scammers use various pretexts or resort to the “ping call” method. They call, let it ring twice before hanging up, relying on your natural curiosity for you to call them back – this is especially the case if it is a normal number, starting with 01, 06, 07 , etc.
But then, how can you avoid getting trapped? Be wary of numbers starting with 08 – but not all –, short four-digit numbers starting with 1 or 3, and six-digit numbers starting with 118. But be careful, scammers can also contact you through numbers mobile or geographic. If you have the slightest doubt about the pricing of a special number, the easiest way is to consult, before calling, the reverse directory of SVA numbers. Simply enter the number in the associated field and launch a search to find out the identity of its owner – name, address, company name, etc. – and the price applied. You can also go to surmafacture.com or call 33700, the platform to combat voice and SMS spam. But the wisest thing is to use your operator’s premium rate number blocking system. Prevention is better than cure !