Numbers starting with 05 correspond to geographic landlines in the southwest and French overseas territories. By definition, a number starting with 05 cannot be premium-rate: only numbers starting with 08 and certain short numbers (3xxx, 10xx) incur higher charges. The real question is less about the rate and more about the reliability of the received call, as a displayed 05 can mask a fraud attempt that redirects to a premium number.
Prefix Pricing: What the Numbering Plan Actually Allows
The national numbering plan managed by Arcep classifies French numbers into large families. Only certain ranges can carry a premium charge. The table below summarizes the situation for the most common prefixes.
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| Prefix | Type | Possible Premium Charge |
|---|---|---|
| 01, 02, 03, 04, 05 | Geographic (landline) | No |
| 06, 07 | Mobile | No |
| 09 | Non-geographic (box, VoIP) | No |
| 0800 to 0805 | Free (toll-free number) | No |
| 0806 to 0809 | Standard (grey number) | No (normal call price) |
| 081x, 082x, 089x | Premium (purple number) | Yes |
| Short numbers 3xxx | Value-added service | Yes (depending on the number) |
A number starting with 05 does not fall into any range with a premium charge. The call is billed at the price of a local call or included in unlimited plans for landlines, just like any 01 or 04.
To obtain more information on Comme Vous Voulez, simply consult the details of the ranges and the associated pricing grid for each prefix.
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Blocks 05 68 and 05 69: Telemarketing Numbers, No Premium Charge
Since the Arcep reform of 2023-2024, the blocks 05 68 and 05 69 are reserved for professional telemarketing, just like the blocks 01 62, 02 70, 03 77, or 04 24. These ranges are used to clearly identify commercial prospecting calls.
The rate remains that of a standard landline call. No premium charge applies. However, the likelihood of receiving an unsolicited commercial call on these prefixes is high.
This distinction is useful in daily life: if a number starting with 05 68 or 05 69 appears on your phone, you know it is likely a telemarketer. You can hang up without fearing that you have missed a personal or administrative call. The complete list of blocks reserved for telemarketing also includes the ranges 09 48 and 09 49.
Spoofing and Callback Scams: When a Displayed 05 Hides a Trap
The real risk associated with numbers starting with 05 does not concern direct premium charges but rather diversion techniques. Arcep reports that scammers use spoofing (caller ID spoofing) to make a mundane geographic number appear on the recipient’s screen, while the call originates from another source.
The classic scenario works in two stages:
- A brief call or a missed call appears from a number starting with 05. The caller hangs up before you answer.
- You call back this number, which redirects to a premium-rate voice server (in 089x or via a short number) or keeps you on the line as long as possible on a paid service.
- The premium charge appears on your statement, sometimes several weeks later.
The displayed prefix does not guarantee the true origin of the call. A 05 can be rented, generated, or spoofed by a third party. Therefore, simply reading the prefix is not enough to judge the reliability of an unknown caller.
Concrete Warning Signals
A call that rings once and then hangs up is the most common marker of callback scams. If you do not recognize the number, wait a few minutes: a legitimate caller will call back or leave a voicemail.
Reverse lookup services (online directories, call identification apps) allow you to quickly check if a number has been reported as unwanted by other users. These community databases are continuously updated and cover both landline and mobile numbers.
Checking a Suspicious 05 Number: Useful Tools and Reflexes
When an unknown number starting with 05 appears, a few quick checks can help you decide.
- Check the range: if the number starts with 05 68 or 05 69, it is a commercial telemarketing call, with no premium charge but likely unsolicited.
- Consult an online reverse directory to see if the number has been reported as spam or a scam by other users.
- Never call back an unknown number that has only rung once, especially if no voicemail has been left.
- Report fraudulent calls or SMS to 33700, the national reporting system for phone spam.
The site surmafacture.fr, referenced by the Ministry of Economy, also allows you to check the pricing of a number starting with 08 or a short number. For numbers starting with 05, this verification is not necessary since premium charges are technically impossible on this range.
Difference Between Call Cost and Financial Risk
A call to a 05 costs the price of a local call, often included in plans. The financial risk does not come from the number called but from the potential redirection to a premium service. If a voice server asks you to dial another number or send an SMS, hang up: that is the transition to the premium charge.
The confusion between geographic prefixes and premium numbers persists because callback scams blur the lines. A 05 remains a landline number, billed at a fixed rate. The danger does not lie in the prefix but in what happens after you answer.