Jump to content
Complete France Forum

Phone calls from Africa


dave21478

Recommended Posts

This is getting on my tits now, and the chap is very persistent.

On my mobile phone (Orange), I keep getting calls from a number that starts +22, which from what I gather is African - Nigeria, Ivory Coast or some similar scammers paradise.

Anyway, I have been ignoring them and the caller never leaves a message. Once, twice....ok thats a minor annoyance, but I have just had the 19th call today, and its really, REALLY not a good time for me now, so I picked it up earlier this afternoon. A chap answered in French with a heavy African accent, and was caught off guard by my answering. He spluttered through his hello and started talking about how he needed my help to......I interrupted and told him to unconditionally fuck right off, then hung up.

Im still getting calls.

+221779017592

What can I do to stop this?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a scam but I can't remember how it works.

I believe you can block calls from specific numbers either on your phone or via the Orange website. If you can't work how to do this, or I am wrong, then give the English speaking helpline a call tomorrow morning, their number is 0969 36 39 00 and explain the situation and they may be able to help you out. Also by answering the phone you will of course be charged for receiving a call from outside France, something in the back of my mind leads me to think you may be charged a lot because they use some form of premium call number but I am not sure. Anyway if that is the case then ask Orange to give you a refund and see what happens. My recent dealings with Orange via the English helpdesk have been very good to date.

Good luck

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought that America was the only country where you pay to recieve a mobile phone call, hence why with some operators you get free calls to American mobiles.

I dont think that you will be charged for receiving a call in France on a mobile or fixed line but may well be invited to call, or call back a premium number.

Please let me kow if I am incorrect in this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ooops yes your right, don't know what came over me. It must be something to do with being forced to sit and watch the repeat of Dancing on Ice, sort of kills the brain cells a bit. I think perhaps it a verbal version of help to get rid of a few million dollars but phone me back on this number type thing which of course is premium rate. Anyway my advice still stands good either block the number if you can or call the Orange help line.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Despite telling the 'gentleman' at the other end to go **** himself by answering the call at all you may have made the situation worse. It's a bit like responding to a spam email, once the scammers know that they have a live body at the other end your details become more valuable and will be elevated up the list.

I think as Bugs a new number is probably your only option, seems somewhere along the way you maybe gave out this one inadvisedly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Bob T"]I have never been charged for receiving a call from outside France. I get loads of calls from the US, Canada and Australia.
[/quote]

Is that on a mobile Bob?.  You do get charged with many French  mobile companies for receiving calls and texts in France from abroad, but not to a fixed line.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I no longer have a mobile since NRJ trousered my credit which was supposed to have remained until 2030 [:(] but with them and Orange before them I never paid to receive calls or texts from other countries but these were mobicarte accounts, sorry PAYG, i.e. I didnt have a contract.

What I would really like to know is given that a mobile phone in France is a luxury that I can no longer afford how on earth do the scammers pay for these calls or texts?

Scam E-mails I understand as they are effectively free but texts and calls to mobiles? Perhaps as Ron said some networks charge to receive the calls and if they are using the American model then the recipient pays so it would make sense that the scammers beseige those numbers.

So can anyone confirm if some French operators do charge and who they are so they can be avoided.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...