The end of the year is approaching, and with it, a new stage in the fight against telephone scams .
Arcep, the telecoms regulator, is preparing a series of measures aimed at curbing number spoofing, a scourge that still massively affects users. And this time, they could well transform the way you answer the phone .
For several years, scams based on fake numbers have been proliferating. The scenario is familiar: a call that seems perfectly legitimate, displaying a number starting with 06 or 07, but behind which hides a scammer. To combat this, Arcep has decided to impose a new technical framework on all French operators , with a key measure: the much more frequent appearance of masked calls on smartphones starting January 1, 2026…
A massive legal challenge to limit identity theft…
From the beginning of 2026, any call whose number cannot be authenticated must be displayed as a masked number. Operators will be required to apply this rule, particularly when a call originates from abroad and uses an unverified French number. Masking will also become mandatory if operators encounter a technical problem preventing the correct transmission of identifying information.
The regulator clearly summarizes this principle: a masked call may mean that the caller wishes to conceal their identity … or that their number could not be verified.
This change aims to better protect users, although Arcep acknowledges that fraudsters will likely find other ways to circumvent the measures.
Nevertheless, the widespread use of masked numbers should at least prevent many users from answering automatically , thinking they are talking to a relative or a delivery person. And the figures show the scale of the problem, with nearly 18,000 reports of caller ID spoofing filed on the ” J’alerte l’Arcep ” platform since January 2025, despite a significant decrease .
Operators forced to apply new rules
This development is not limited to display, and Arcep is now imposing a series of obligations on operators to strengthen the ” chain of trust “.
Businesses will have to declare precisely the phone numbers they are authorized to use , and operators will have to technically lock this list to prevent fraudulent use. Calls from unauthorized numbers will then be blocked or their numbers will be withheld.
In the overseas territories, another system will be introduced: when an operator terminates a line on its own initiative, it will not be able to reassign the number before a minimum period of 45 days .
With this new set of tools, Arcep hopes to establish a more reliable and transparent framework for telephone communications. And for users, it will simply be a matter of getting used to it, and understanding that by 2026, a blocked number will often be a sign of caution …