Thanks to reports on Bloctel, the DGCCRF has two companies convicted for abusive telephone canvassing

Bloctel allowed the DGCCRF to sanction two French companies based in Dordogne for abusive telephone canvassing and not respecting its customers’ right to withdrawal.

When we talk about cold calling, we realize that we have all more or less been victims of it once, or even several times in our lives. This practice, which has been strictly regulated since 1^er March 2023, despite everything, continues to cause 1 in 3 French people to drop out, despite the risks of being trapped by companies with questionable or even illegal commercial practices.

However, the fines are raining down, and they are steep. In March 2024, the CNIL, our security watchdog, sanctioned the telephone canvassing company Foriou to the tune of 310,000 euros for using the data of the users it contacted without their explicit consent. A month later, the company Hubstide.Store had to pay a fine of 525,000 euros for the same reasons. This time, it is two Périgord companies which fall into the net of the DGCCRF.

Two French telephone canvassing companies sanctioned thanks to Bloctel

Bloctel celebrated its 10th anniversary on March 17, 2024, and we cannot say that the French favor it. Indeed, despite its implementation, people who have registered their number there so as not to be contacted by companies that practice telephone canvassing continue to receive unwanted calls.

However, it is this service that allowed the General Directorate for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) to pin down two companies, as reported in the newspaper South West.

The first, Alti Telco, located in Douzillac (Dordogne), “ poorly informed consumers about their right of withdrawal and refused legitimate withdrawals », Specifies the DGCCRF. This company manages the opening of contracts for various consumer services for its customers, such as subscription to an energy supply service, drinking water, mobile telephony, etc. The slate shows a fine of 46,200 euros.

As for the second, Call Center, located in Périgueux (Dordogne), the DGCCRF sanctions it with 80,300 euros for having “ poorly informed consumers about their right of withdrawal, refused legitimate withdrawals and ignored the legislation on telephone canvassing Bloctel “. This company was responsible for terminating consumer contracts. Ironically, this small business assured its customers of being “ a trusted partner to manage [leurs] phone calls » and offered them a “ exceptional customer experience with every interaction “. He who thinks he takes is taken.

Effective reporting tools to report and combat abusive telephone canvassing

From now on, many common sense tools and practices are available to users to preserve their peace of mind and defend them in the event of financial loss suffered.

The State is your first ally in the fight against abusive telephone canvassing and unwanted calls. He set up the Bloctel platform, which allows you to register your telephone numbers to oppose unsolicited commercial calls. In the event of non-compliance by a company with this ban, please note that article L242-16 of the Consumer Code provides for sanctions for breaches of the rules concerning telephone canvassing.

Any breach of the provisions of articles L223-1 to L223-5 is punishable by an administrative fine.
The maximum amount of the fine is 75,000 euros for a natural person and 375,000 euros for a legal entity. For its part, SignalConso, also a public service, helps you report any problems encountered with companies, such as those that practice abusive telephone canvassing. If necessary, it puts you in touch with the fraud prevention services.

Recently, 33 700 got a makeover to make it easier for you to report unwanted calls. It allows you to report the receipt of SMS spam or unwanted calls to the authorities. You can report any call or SMS simply by SMS, screenshot or form.

Finally, you can download the Orange Telephone application to help you better manage your calls thanks to its features such as protection against unwanted calls, the reverse directory of professionals and the identification of premium rate numbers. You can also block malicious calls and get information about the numbers that contact you.

These services and applications support good practices to effectively combat these calls that ruin our lives.
Clubic recently compiled a list of 12 numbers that are sure to be spam. You can also turn your opponent’s weapon against him by destabilizing him in turn thanks to a few tricks when you decide to pick up and initiate a conversation with your interlocutor.

Source : South West