Since August 1, 2026, unsolicited telemarketing is prohibited in France. Decree No. 2026-456 of July 20, 2026, provides for increased fines for repeat offenders. This ban has not eliminated fraudulent calls: numbers starting with 05, associated with landlines in the southwest and south of France, remain a preferred vector for scammers who exploit the trust associated with regional codes.
Spoofing on code 05: why blocking apps are losing effectiveness
The spoofing technique allows a caller to display a legitimate 05 number on the recipient’s screen, while the call originates from a completely different network. This process renders databases of fraudulent numbers partially obsolete, as the displayed number changes with each calling campaign.
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UFC-Que Choisir conducted a study among 5,000 users in March 2026. Result: AI blocking apps like Truecaller show a 20% decrease in effectiveness against spoofed numbers starting with 05. The number that the app identifies as suspicious today will be replaced tomorrow by another, equally anonymous.
To identify an undesirable 05 number to avoid, one must go beyond simple automatic blocking and understand the behavioral signals of the call itself.
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Phone scams on 05: unmistakable signals
A fraudulent call from a 05 number almost always follows the same pattern. The caller claims to represent an official organization (Health Insurance, tax service, energy supplier) and creates an artificial urgency: regularization to be done, reimbursement to be received, imminent disconnection.
Several clues can help identify the attempt before answering:
- The call is silent for the first few seconds, a sign of an automated system that switches to a human operator once the call is answered.
- The interlocutor asks for personal data (social security number, bank details, code received by SMS) that a legitimate organization never requests by phone.
- The number called back does not correspond to any identifiable standard, or redirects to a generic voicemail without mentioning the announced organization.
- The caller insists that the process be completed immediately, without allowing time to verify through another channel.
The monitoring bulletin from the Pharos platform, updated in May 2026, also highlights a convergence between phone scams and fraudulent SMS using virtual 05 numbers. A missed call followed by an SMS containing a link is a particularly reliable warning signal.
Filtering 05 calls with voice assistants: a solution for seniors
Elderly individuals represent the primary target for scams using the 05 code. Installing and configuring a third-party app on a smartphone can pose a technical barrier. Built-in voice assistants (Google Assistant, Siri) offer an alternative that requires no downloads.
Google Assistant and call filtering
On compatible Android phones, Google Assistant offers a filtering feature that intercepts incoming calls. The assistant answers on behalf of the user and asks the caller to state their identity. The response is transcribed in real-time on the screen. The user then decides whether to take the call, reject it, or report it as unwanted.
This functionality has a direct advantage against spoofing: even if the displayed number seems legitimate, the interlocutor must identify themselves vocally. An automated system or unsolicited salesperson will be detected at this stage.
Siri and the silence mode for unknown calls
On iPhone, the “Silence Unknown Callers” feature automatically redirects any call from a number not in the contacts list to voicemail. Legitimate callers leave a message, while automated systems hang up. Activation is done in Settings > Phone, without any additional app.
This configuration does not block calls but passively filters them, significantly reducing the risk of impulsively answering. For a senior who is not familiar with mobile interfaces, a relative can activate this option in seconds.
Reporting a fraudulent 05 number: concrete remedies in 2026
Reporting remains the most direct collective lever. Bloctel, the telemarketing opposition service, allows users to register for free and file a complaint if calls persist despite registration. Since the total ban on unsolicited telemarketing, any unauthorized commercial solicitation constitutes an offense.
The Pharos platform, managed by the Ministry of the Interior, processes reports related to phone scams. A report fueled by the calling number, date, and content of the exchange allows investigators to trace networks, even when the displayed number is spoofed.
Arcep also oversees the allocation of number ranges to operators. The series 05 68 is part of the ranges identified as reserved for telemarketing, meaning that a call from this range, in the absence of a pre-existing business relationship, is now presumed illegal.
Scams on 05 and smishing: a combined mechanism
The line between fraudulent voice calls and phishing SMS is blurring. A common scenario in 2026 begins with a missed call from a 05 number, followed within minutes by an SMS inviting the recipient to call back or click on a link. The SMS sometimes uses a virtual 05 number, which obscures the distinction between legitimate local communication and phishing attempts.
The basic rule remains the same: never call back an unknown number that hung up immediately, and never click on a link received via SMS after a missed call. The sequence of a silent call followed by an SMS is the most common signature of fraudulent campaigns using the 05 code.
The regulatory framework of 2026 provides victims with stronger recourse tools than before. The available data does not yet allow for measuring the real impact of the total ban on telemarketing on the volume of fraudulent calls, as scam networks often operate from abroad. Filtering by voice assistant, combined with systematic reporting, remains at this stage the most accessible response for the most exposed audiences.