Since 1 January 2026, French operators have had to apply a more visible rule against mobile-number spoofing. When a call comes from abroad, displays a French mobile number starting with 06 or 07, and cannot be properly authenticated, the caller ID must now be masked.
This does not end spoofing, but it changes one important point: a scammer trying to make an international call look like a legitimate French mobile call more often loses the psychological advantage of a familiar number on screen. For the technical background, our guide to implementing STIR/SHAKEN explains the authentication chain used by operators.
What ARCEP actually says
In its operator guidance, ARCEP states that from 1 January 2026, an international call presenting a French 06 or 07 number that cannot be authenticated must be shown with the caller ID masked. The authority links this change to numbering-plan updates adopted in November 2025 to better protect users against spoofing.
Another important nuance: ARCEP places this obligation at the level of the incoming international interconnection. In other words, the rule targets calls handed over to the French network by an operator outside the French authentication ecosystem. It is not a blanket rule on all foreign calls, but a targeted rule on calls pretending to be French mobile calls without sufficient proof of authenticity.
What changes for consumers
- A displayed 06/07 number on an incoming international call inspires slightly more trust than before, because unauthenticated cases should now be masked.
- A masked number is not automatically fraudulent: it may also be a legitimate call that could not be authenticated correctly.
- ARCEP indicates that calls from French subscribers while roaming can still be affected if authentication is not transmitted correctly.
That last point matters. Many summaries oversimplify the rule by saying that “foreign calls showing 06/07 numbers will be blocked.” That is not what ARCEP says. For mobile numbers, the main logic is first the masking of the number when it is not authenticated, not the systematic blocking of every such international call.
Why this does not remove every suspicious call
1. Masking is not an automatic fraud verdict
A masked call may come from a scammer, but it may also reflect a temporary technical situation. ARCEP specifically mentions the gradual transition toward mechanisms that can better distinguish roaming calls from fraudulent ones.
2. Authentication depends on the operator chain
Trust does not depend only on the end caller. It also depends on whether originating, transit, and terminating operators preserve the signature and validate the right to use the presented number. Our article on the promises and limits of STIR/SHAKEN against spoofing helps separate the regulatory theory from day-to-day operations.
3. Smartphone display behaviour is still uneven
Even with better network-level traceability, the user experience still depends on the phone, the calling app, and the reputation databases used to enrich caller ID. The ARCEP rule strengthens the foundation, but it does not replace filtering, reporting, or reputation tools.
What this changes for businesses and call centres
This is not only a consumer topic. It also affects companies outsourcing calls abroad, telecom partners, and distributed sales teams.
- A call centre established outside France cannot be directly assigned French 06/07 numbers by an operator if it does not meet the territorial conditions of the numbering plan.
- A French principal may still authorise the use of its own number in some contractual setups, but the authentication chain then has to hold up.
- Using a 06/07 number as caller ID for calls generated independently from a mobile access, especially in call-centre contexts, is not allowed according to ARCEP's professional numbering-plan guidance.
In practice, the 2026 rule sends a clear signal: French mobile numbers should no longer be an easy visual cover for international calls whose real origin remains opaque. For affected teams, this increases the value of compliance reviews and caller-ID audits before campaigns. If you need to explain these points internally, our FAQ already covers common questions about flagged, masked, or misunderstood numbers.
Three practical reflexes for 2026
For subscribers
- Do not assume a call is trustworthy only because a 06/07 number is displayed.
- If a call feels suspicious, avoid calling back immediately and verify the context first.
- In suspected spoofing cases, read ARCEP's dedicated guidance and use the relevant reporting channels.
For sales and operations teams
- Check that your international call flows and telecom partners transmit authentication information correctly.
- Do not use 06/07 caller IDs in ways that are not compliant with the numbering plan.
- Document roaming, forwarding, or infrastructure edge cases that can trigger unexpected masking.
Key takeaway
The 2026 ARCEP rule is not a minor technical footnote. It changes how unauthenticated international calls using French 06/07 mobile numbers are presented to French recipients. The most concrete result is simple: fewer fraudulent international calls should be able to visually impersonate identifiable French mobile numbers.
That is a useful step forward, but not an absolute guarantee. Between partial authentication, roaming, and diverse software layers, user caution and company discipline still matter.
