Phone scam?

[Chico]

We are with France Telecom and are on Liste Rouge, so we've never had any problems with unsolicited phone calls except that we have an odd problem someone may have an answer to.

Now and again, and more frequently lately, the phone rings and as soon as we pick it up it disconnects.  This worries us as we are often away and we worry that potential burglars might ring occasionally to check whether the house is unoccupied.  It's odd because strangers should not be able to get our number as we are on Liste Rouge.  Calling 3131 does not help as it only records unanswered calls.

Also, less frequently, when we check for messages we are told that an 009 number (the latest was 00978037331) called and we are invited to press 5 to return the call.  For the sake of security we never return calls to numbers we do not know and this kind of number seems alien to the ones I've ever seen.

I can only guess that this is a random dialling scam to get people to dial an expensive line.  This would explain how they get round Liste Rouge and why the call is aborted if you pick up the phone.

Has anyone else experienced this or know what it's all about?

Regards,

Chico

 

[Hereford]

We find the most annoying calls the ones that play an automated message saying (in French)  you have an important message and press something to access it.  We now just put the phone down as we are sure this is a scam (hence the "something" in the sentence- we don't listen long enough to hear what to press!)

Have had a few of the type of calls you mention too.

Is "liste rouge" like the UK telephone preference service so that you don't get any cold calls or is it having your number ex-directory please? If it is the former we will get ourselves put on it.

Have you tried telephoning the FT helpline? There is one in English if you prefer.

Mrs H

[Clair]

[quote user="Hereford"]Is "liste rouge" like the UK telephone preference service so that you don't get any cold calls or is it having your number ex-directory please? If it is the former we will get ourselves put on it.[/quote]

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1391474/ShowPost.aspx

[Kitty]

[quote user="Hereford"]Is "liste rouge" like the UK telephone preference service so that you don't get any cold calls or is it having your number ex-directory please? If it is the former we will get ourselves put on it.[/quote]

The Liste Rouge is like being Ex-Directory.  It should stop cold calls but it doesn't - it just reduces the number of them.  We have been on the Liste Rouge for about 9 months and are still getting about 5 cold calls per week.  As soon as you tell the caller that we are on the Liste, they hang up but it is intensely irritating.  If you ask how they got the number, they say France Telecom, so they are using an old list.  Presumably in time, the number of calls will reduce.

At the time of going onto the Liste Rouge, France Telecom did offer to change my telephone number, which I resisted because of the inconvenience of telling friends etc.  So, if you are going onto the Liste because of the sheer volume of cold calls, you may wish to consider changing the number at the same time.

 

[Chico]

Our experience of Liste Rouge is quite different as we have never had a single unsolicited call in eight years of having it.  That is why I suspect the "phantom" calls we are getting come from random diallers.  We are only here half the year and we have had the Residence Secondaire service for the past three years, so our phone is switched off when we are not here (and we don't pay for line rental during this period).  Perhaps that keeps us off any calling lists that these organisations use.

Chico

[Iancharlton]

Hi,

Call centre computers use two techniques. Either they dial random numbers to see if they're real & if someone answers, the number is added to a list for a cold call, usually later the same day. Or, they queue calls up for the staff & then try to connect when they get an answer. If all the staff are busy, the computer cuts the call & tries later.

Ofcom stamped on this in the UK a couple of months back. Presumably, there's a French equivalent who'll act if there are enough complaints.

"Call centres" asking you to "press x to call back" put you through to an expensive recorded message in Nigeria.

Since the calls are of the "throw enough mud & some of it sticks" variety, Liste Rouge won't stop them.

My tactic: say nowt & hang up.

Ian

[Chancer]

[quote user="Iancharlton"]

Ofcom stamped on this in the UK a couple of months back. Presumably, there's a French equivalent who'll act if there are enough complaints.

"[/quote]

Yeah right! [6]

Did you see how the French equivalent of saynoto0870 was bullied into submission by the French companies that make a fortune from customers having no other choice but to use these premium lines?

[nectarine]

[quote user="Chico"]We are with France Telecom and are on Liste Rouge, so we've never had any problems with unsolicited phone calls except that we have an odd problem someone may have an answer to.

Now and again, and more frequently lately, the phone rings and as soon as we pick it up it disconnects.  [/quote]

This morning, at 3am, our phone rang. Bleary-eyed I reached for the phone and grabbed it after about five rings .... nobody there, just the disconnected line noise. Thought it was a dud call, turned over, went back to sleep. Ten minutes later, same thing - but answered in three rings and nobody there.

So I kept the phone in my hand with my thumb poised over the 'answer' button. Ten minutes later it rang again and I pressed 'answer'straightaway (it probably hadn't even completed the first ring) - the line had disconnected again.

Callback didn't show any number dialling us. So I am wondering if it is one of those computerised call centres ... but at 3am!!

[Frenchie]

[quote user="Cathy"][quote user="Hereford"]Is "liste rouge" like the UK telephone preference service so that you don't get any cold calls or is it having your number ex-directory please? If it is the former we will get ourselves put on it.[/quote]

The Liste Rouge is like being Ex-Directory.  It should stop cold calls but it doesn't - it just reduces the number of them.  We have been on the Liste Rouge for about 9 months and are still getting about 5 cold calls per week.  As soon as you tell the caller that we are on the Liste, they hang up but it is intensely irritating.  If you ask how they got the number, they say France Telecom, so they are using an old list.  Presumably in time, the number of calls will reduce.

[/quote]

They probably will, Cathy, I ve been on liste rouge for years, no problem.

[Jonzjob]

My favorite when we get cold calls is to ask them if they speak English. 99% of the time they just say goodbuy. This is when the line is answered of course.

One of our friends uses the calls as an aid to learning French and spends lots of time just chatting. He says that it really improves his French.They don't arf get upset in the end.

[WendyG]

Hi

How does one get taken off the FT directory?  Go into FT office or is there a contact number?

Wendy