© Pexels
Designed to allow anyone to have a second telephone number with the same SIM card, the OnOff application has unfortunately also become one of the favorite tools of scammers operating online and by telephone, report our colleagues at BFM TV.
A second number via an app
Initially designed to offer an additional telephone number, particularly in a professional context, the application founded by Taïg Khris is today hijacked by scammers who seek to obtain credible telephone numbers for their misdeeds. Whether it's romance scams or fake classified ads, OnOff is a new way for them to lure victims with more credibility.
© Apple App Store
The allocation of numbers by this application is regulated by the Electronic Communications Regulatory Authority (Arcep) which defines the codes allocated to this service. As of early 2023, the numbers the app can assign start with the following combinations: 06.44.66, 06.44.67, 06.44.68, 06.44.69, 07.56. 8, and 07.56.9.
The numbers offered by OnOff © Presse-citron.net
These codes make it easier for individuals to determine if a call is coming from a number assigned by OnOff. However, it is important to emphasize that these prefixes were allocated in 2023 and that some people already had these numbers without using the application. We therefore do not advise you to block these codes but rather to be suspicious when one of them calls.
Furthermore, not all users of the OnOff service are scammers. Therefore, being contacted by a number with one of these prefixes does not necessarily mean that a scam attempt is in progress. However, we may regret that OnOff allows its users to change their number so easily as soon as one of them is reported for fraudulent activity.
New rules for call centers
To combat telephone abuse and canvassing, Arcep introduced a new numbering plan in 2023. This stipulates that commercial calls must now use numbers starting with 0162, 0163, 0270, 0271, 0377, 0378, 0424, 0425, 0568, 0569, 0948, and 0949 in mainland France. This measure aims to better regulate and identify telephone communications, but its effectiveness is limited.
Faced with telephone scams, Orange has set up a very useful application called Orange Téléphone which has attracted millions of users. Based on feedback from its community, it warns the community when an incoming call seems fraudulent. Unfortunately, the telecom operator decided – just last week – to make the automatic blocking of these calls chargeable. That said, downloading Orange Téléphone will still allow you to be warned when a suspicious number calls.
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