You need to keep a close eye on your mailbox; a small item that you should not use can be left there.
If scams abound online, you also have to be wary of what happens at your doorstep. Fraudulent canvassing, fake city employees, tracking for burglaries, this can take different forms. Sometimes, scammers don’t even need to ring your doorbell. Your mailbox may be enough for them.
Several municipalities, notably in Gard but also in other departments as noted Free Middaycalled for vigilance regarding a small object that may be hidden in the middle of your mail. Visually, it seems serious: blue, white, red edges with the inscription “Useful numbers”, mentioning the traditional emergency numbers (police, firefighters, Samu, etc.) and public services (SNCF, police station, etc.). ). However, home repair operator numbers are also included.
Behind these numbers are often unscrupulous companies using unfair methods. This is abusive canvassing, accompanied by false advertising. Scammers also put pressure on consumers to buy their services, which are either useless or overpriced.
There are, for example, locksmiths who take advantage of the distress of customers stuck at the door of their homes or plumbers who play on the embarrassment of people faced with water leaks. A couple in their 80s who called one of these numbers for a power outage were given a bill of 1,463 euros, even though it was simply the circuit breaker that needed to be changed.
These numbers are, in fact, noted on a small magnet, placed in your mailbox. These have not received any approval from public authorities. You should therefore definitely not call these numbers. If this magnet can be used to magnetize your shopping list on the fridge, it is rather recommended to throw it away so that you never find yourself, in an emergency, having to type one of these numbers. In the event of a scam, it is advisable to report the incident to the Departmental Directorate for Population Protection, present in each department.