Your phone rings from a number starting with 06 or 07. Is it a friend, a colleague, a legitimate business — or a canvasser, or even a scammer? This question arises millions of times a day in France. Mobile numbers are both the most used in everyday life and the most heavily exploited by commercial canvassing platforms. Here is how to effectively tell a legitimate call from phone spam.
Why do canvassers use 06/07 numbers?
Mobile numbers in the 06 and 07 range are allocated by ARCEP to mobile operators without geographic constraint. They can be obtained in bulk relatively easily, and displaying them gives an impression of proximity — the call appears to come from an individual, reducing the recipient's suspicion. Canvassing centres use autodiallers capable of calling thousands of mobile numbers per minute, regularly changing their outgoing number to avoid being blocked.
06 and 07: is there a difference?
The 06 prefix was introduced in France in 1997 with the rollout of the first GSM networks. Growing mobile subscriptions led ARCEP to open the 07 range to new subscribers from 2010 onwards. Since then, 06 and 07 are used interchangeably by all operators — Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom, Free Mobile and virtual operators (MVNOs). There is no difference in status or trustworthiness between a 06 and a 07 number.
Signs that identify spam from a 06/07 number
- No voicemail left: a legitimate caller who cannot reach you generally leaves a message. An automated canvassing system hangs up and moves on to the next number.
- Repeated calls in a short space of time: two or three calls from the same number within an hour, with no voicemail, is a strong sign of automated canvassing.
- Unusual timing: calls outside standard business hours (before 8am, after 8pm, at weekends) are often linked to international canvassing campaigns.
- Number not in your contacts: if you have had no recent order, booking or communication that would generate a call from an unknown mobile, treat it with caution.
Regulations: Bloctel and GDPR
Since the law of 24 July 2020, commercial canvassers in France are legally required to respect authorised hours (8am–8pm Monday–Friday; 9am–1pm Saturday), to refrain from calling on Sundays and public holidays, and to check Bloctel (bloctel.gouv.fr) before dialling. Breaches can result in fines of up to €75,000 for individuals and €375,000 for companies. If you continue receiving unsolicited commercial calls despite being registered on Bloctel, report them on the Bloctel site or via Signal Conso (signalconso.gouv.fr).
How to check a 06/07 number
The most reliable method is to search the number on TelCheck. The TelCheck community reports mobile numbers used for commercial canvassing, scams or harassment in real time. A number with many reports and a high score is best ignored. A number with no reports may belong to a legitimate individual or company — you can then decide whether to call back with confidence.