From the end of spam calls to avoiding scam emails and accepting corrections in French, here's our latest newsletter for Americans in France and those planning a move.
Welcome to The Local's "Americans in France" newsletter for members, featuring all the news and practical information you need as an American resident, visitor or second-home owner in France. You can sign up to receive it directly to your inbox before we publish it online via the link below.
Dear Americans in France,
The third weekend in August is usually a welcome sight, with an extra day off in the form of l'Assomption (the public holiday) on August 15th. It feels similar to Labor Day to me - the last hurrah before la rentrée (new school year) arrives.
This year, sadly, August 15th falls on a Saturday, so the day off is absorbed by the weekend. You'll have to wait until Armistice Day, on November 11th, for your next public holiday in France, since November 1st (All Saints' Day) falls on a Sunday.
There might be some reason to rejoice, however. Earlier this week, the French law banning unsolicited sales calls came into effect. From now on, the onus is on companies to prove they have verifiable and documented proof that the consumer has opted in before engaging in telemarketing.
If you're a little skeptical, I understand. The majority of sales calls I receive are requests to opt into a more expensive plan, and these calls come from companies I already have subscriptions with. Presumably, they'd argue that I've 'opted in'. We'd love to hear your thoughts on telemarketing in France.
If your email inbox is anything like mine, it's probably full of scams (illegal attempts to collect your money or data). Most of the time these are filtered into the spam folder, but every so often a credible-looking one gets through. Recently, I've received a number of emails warning me that I forgot to pay my free-flow toll fees. Turns out this particular scam is making the rounds in France.
It helps to remember I do not own a car, but if I were a regular driver, I'd be spooked. I highly recommend listening to the ‘Scam Inc’ podcast by The Economist. Many of us feel that we could never fall victim to a scam, but after listening, I was convinced otherwise. Plus, they are becoming more complex and harder to detect with the evolution of AI.
Luckily, there are a few steps to take to verify if the information is legitimate. For messages purporting to come from government sources, you can start by double-checking the URLs and verifying whether the agency has rules against requesting payment by text or email. For instance, French fiscal authorities will never ask for your bank details by email or text.
That said, there is one email you might've received that is not a scam, even if it might seem confusing.
French companies and service providers are currently sending emails about “pixel de suivi”. Basically, these emails are about tracking pixels - the small, invisible images embedded in emails. Thanks to updated privacy rules, companies are informing you (or asking for your permission) when employing these tools.
In other news, readers often ask us about tips for learning French or becoming fluent. One common piece of advice is to grow a thicker skin and accept real-time corrections.
READ ALSO: 9 tips on avoiding a scolding in France
I agree with this (more or less), but my caveat is that it is fair to feel frustrated if a French friend or family member constantly corrects you.
In this case, I recommend asking for corrections only if the same mistake has been repeated multiple times. Not only does this keep the peace, but it also helps the other person listen more carefully for repeat errors. I learned that I tend to incorrectly use visiter (instead of rendre visite) when referencing visits from friends and family.
You can also take a look at The Local's series, French Grammar Tips, which rounds up common mistakes, such as mixing up the various ways of saying 'because' and the difference between the pronouns 'y' and 'en'.
And if you have any other thoughts on life in France or learning French, we'd love to hear from you. Feel free to send us your questions or tips for fellow Americans via our ongoing survey.
À la prochaine.
