Is abusive telephone canvassing over? No, but the noose is tightening a little more on this illegal practice. A bill has been adopted by the Social Affairs Committee of the National Assembly, informs Capital. It aims to fight against fraud and abuse of this process and will be presented in the hemicyle shortly.
The measure particularly concerns personal training accounts (CPF). It is because this public funding scheme for continuing education is a “massive” success, explain the deputies behind the proposal. This has “opened the door to aggressive or even abusive commercial practices aimed at pushing individuals to buy training against their will.”
In total, the evaluation of the damage would be 43.2 million euros in 2021, against 7.8 million in 2020, indicates Tracfin, the French intelligence service in charge of the fight against money laundering, the terrorism and its financing, tax, social and customs fraud.
To protect consumers, the text aims purely to prohibit abusive canvassing in relation to CPFs, regardless of the mode of communication. Generally, this canvassing results in “calls, SMS, or emails, from call centers or training organizations, carried out in a fraudulent approach and very often conveying erroneous information on the rights of the individual. ”, explain the deputies, but not only.
Other communication biases are subject to amendments…
Phone calls are no longer the only form of canvassing. SMS and social networks have the best part in this matter. An amendment is thus proposed to extend the ban on social platforms.
Especially since it is “the youngest and most fragile populations” who are the most affected by the phenomenon, indicates the explanatory memorandum reported by the media cited above. More specifically: “prevent influencers who reside outside the national territory from promoting CPF fraud”. This would allow the State to close fraudulent accounts.
To leave only official accounts, under certain conditions…
A second amendment to strengthen the fight also provides for the obligation for official training organizations to be listed with Caisse des dépôts on the “My training account” platform. Establishments must, among other things, have an activity number, Qualiopi certification, authorization to prepare or issue a personal certification, etc.
Unfortunately, the National Assembly should not examine the bill until October 6. There is no doubt that the consensus around the text will lead to its adoption. However, the calls are likely to multiply during the month of October, just before the ratification of the measure…