Your phone displays a number starting with +44 (UK), +31 (Netherlands) or +32 (Belgium). Should you answer or call back? These three countries are among the most frequently cited in reports of unsolicited calls received from abroad by French users. But not all such calls are scams — far from it. This guide explains why these codes appear on your phone and how to react.
Legitimate reasons why you may be called from these countries
- Outsourced customer services: many large French companies — banks, insurers, e-commerce businesses — have outsourced their customer service to call centres in the UK, Belgium or the Netherlands.
- European businesses operating in France: thousands of EU-based companies with French customers call from their local offices.
- Personal contacts: expatriates, family members, friends living in these countries.
- International professional calls: video conference platforms, webinars, international recruiters.
Why are these codes also used by malicious callers?
VoIP spoofing allows any country code — including +44, +31 or +32 — to be displayed from anywhere in the world. A scammer operating from a third country can easily display a British or Belgian number to appear more credible to a French consumer. Banking phishing, fake adviser calls and investment fraud platforms regularly use these codes because they are less likely to be automatically blocked than exotic prefixes.
+44 UK specifics post-Brexit
Since Brexit, consumer protection rules on telephone canvassing have diverged between the UK and the EU. The ICO (Information Commissioner's Office) regulates canvassing in the UK, but VoIP operators outside the British regulatory framework can display +44 numbers without being subject to it. If you receive an unsolicited +44 call offering investment or financial services, particular caution is warranted.
How to evaluate and check these calls
- Ask yourself whether you were expecting a call from one of these countries. If not, be suspicious.
- Search the number on TelCheck — the database includes many +44, +31 and +32 numbers reported by French users.
- If you answer and the call seems suspicious, hang up without sharing any personal information.
- Report confirmed scams on Signal Conso (signalconso.gouv.fr).
A legitimate call always leaves a trace
A customer service agent, recruiter or business partner calling from the UK, Belgium or the Netherlands will leave a voicemail, send a follow-up email, or call again. The absence of any written trace or voicemail after a missed call from one of these codes is a signal that should stop you from calling back without checking first.