Short answer: a five-digit short code starting with 38 is a French SMS number assigned by Arcep and operated by carriers for business-to-consumer (A2P) messaging. The 38xxx range is used overwhelmingly for advertising and relationship marketing texts: retailer promotions, brand follow-ups, loyalty campaigns. Receiving them is free for you; the advertiser pays. Every marketing message must include a STOP opt-out notice, and the fact that the sender is a 38xxx is no guarantee that the content is honest: report suspicious links to 33700.
Updated 26 October 2026.
You open your phone and a message appears, sent by "38046". No name, no logo, five digits that mean nothing to you. The text mentions a discount, a voucher, a "last day" — or, on the contrary, a parcel, a case file, a payment. The questions always come in the same order: who is this? is it costing me anything? and how do I make it stop?
It's one of the most common searches in the world of French SMS, and it deserves better than a vague answer. Here's how the 38xxx range works, and what it tells you — and, above all, what it doesn't tell you — about the sender.
What exactly is a 38xxx short code?
It's a five-digit SMS number reserved for messaging between a business and consumers on French territory. It isn't reachable by phone: you can't call it, only text it or receive messages from it.
In France, numbering resources are allocated by Arcep (the regulatory authority for electronic communications, postal services and press distribution), which publishes its numbering plan and the usage rules for SMS/MMS short code ranges. AF2M (Association Française du Multimédia Mobile), which brings together carriers and industry players, oversees the code of conduct for these uses and runs the 33700 service.
The five digits aren't assigned at random. Ranges starting with 3 have historically been dedicated to business SMS services, with billing differing by sub-range. The 38xxx codes belong to the family of numbers used for campaigns and services whose cost is borne by the sender, not the recipient.
In practical terms, when you receive a text from a 38xxx:
- you pay nothing to receive it, anywhere in mainland France;
- the number is leased by an advertiser from an SMS aggregator (a technical intermediary connecting brands to the Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Free Mobile networks);
- a single number may serve several clients of that aggregator, which explains why a 38xxx told you about a retail chain in March and an entirely different brand in October.
That last point is the most disorienting. A short code isn't a business card: it's a pipe. Searching "who owns 38046" often turns up contradictory answers, simply because the same pipe has carried messages from different brands.
38xxx, 36xxx, 2xxxx, 6xxxx: what's the difference?
The first thing to look at isn't the full number, it's the prefix. It indicates the usage family and, above all, who pays.
| Range | Main use | Who pays? | Typical context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2xxxx | Customer service, notifications, verification codes | Free to receive | Banks, carriers, public bodies |
| 36xxx | A2P services and campaigns, customer relations | Free to receive in the vast majority of cases | Retailers, insurers, telecom operators |
| 38xxx | Marketing campaigns and relationship messages | Free to receive | Promotions, loyalty, abandoned-cart reminders |
| 6xxxx | Mobile operators' own services | Free | Usage tracking, plan info, voicemail |
| Premium-rate numbers (SMS+) | Paid services you have subscribed to | Charged per message sent or received | Games, voting, content subscriptions |
Remember the simple rule: receiving a text from a French short code never costs you anything if you haven't subscribed to any paid service. What can cost money is sending a message to certain premium-rate short codes, or being subscribed to an SMS+ service without realising it. We covered the mechanics of these silent subscriptions in our article on the gift SMS that signs you up without you noticing.
If you're trying to interpret a number you don't recognise, the page on SMS short codes in France brings together the ranges and their uses, and the article Where did this text come from? Decoding a short code, an alphanumeric sender or an unknown +33 explains the identification method step by step.
Why do brands use a 38xxx instead of their name?
Because a short code allows replies, which an alphanumeric sender does not.
When a text appears under the name "DECATHLON", "AMELI" or "SNCF", it comes from an alphanumeric sender: simply a text label. The advantage is legibility. The major drawback: you can't reply to a label. The channel is strictly one-way.
With a 38xxx short code, the advertiser opens a two-way channel. It can:
- receive your STOP and unsubscribe you automatically, as marketing regulations require;
- handle a keyword ("INFO", "RDV", "OUI") to confirm an appointment or request a callback;
- receive a free-text reply handled by a customer service team.
Many companies do both: an alphanumeric sender for purely informational messages, a short code for anything that expects interaction. That's why the same retailer may write to you sometimes under its own name, sometimes from a 38xxx.
One practical tip if you receive a lot of these messages and check your phone while out and about: filing these conversations into a dedicated folder is far more efficient than deleting them one by one. On large-screen phones, a car phone mount also removes the temptation to read a promotional notification at the wheel — a habit that, quite apart from the highway code, is exactly the one fake fine texts count on.
How can you find out which company is behind a 38xxx?
There is no official public directory linking each short code to a brand. But four checks almost always give you the answer.
- Read the message signature. A compliant marketing text names the advertiser: it's a fair-information requirement, and the CNIL reminds us in its rules on commercial marketing that recipients must be able to identify the sender and exercise their rights easily.
- Reply with a neutral keyword. On a legitimate short code, sending
CONTACTorINFOoften triggers an automated reply naming the company. Do this only if the rest of the message is coherent: never on a text demanding payment. - Cross-check against your consents. Did you give this retailer your number? A recent purchase, a loyalty card, a delivery form, a quote. In the vast majority of cases, the 38xxx corresponds to an interaction you had in the preceding weeks — we described this for texts received after an in-store purchase.
- Exercise your right of access. The GDPR lets you ask a data controller where your data came from. If the message names a brand, write to its data protection officer.
And if the message names no one?
That's the first serious red flag. An anonymous commercial text, with no STOP notice, no company name, pushing you towards a shortened link, falls outside the legal framework — whether it comes from a 38xxx or anywhere else.
Can a text from a 38xxx be a scam?
Yes. Short codes inspire trust, and that is precisely what makes them a target.
Three situations arise in practice:
- Display spoofing. Fraud networks manage to display a short code or sender name that isn't theirs. The message then slots into an existing conversation thread from a retailer or a bank. The mechanism is detailed in our article on sender spoofing.
- Misuse of a legitimate channel. An unscrupulous advertiser leases a short code and sends aggressive messages to purchased lists, without valid consent.
- Deliberate confusion. The message mimics the typography and tone of a well-known brand, but the link points to a lookalike domain (one character different, an unusual extension).
The sorting rule is always the same, and it doesn't depend on the number displayed: look at what the message is asking you to do.
A legitimate text informs you. A fraudulent text puts you under pressure and demands urgent action involving money, a bank card, a login or a code received elsewhere.
If the message demands €2.99 in "fees", a "bank details update", a "settlement" or a six-digit code: there's nothing to verify, it's a scam. Don't click, and forward it to 33700.
How do you stop texts from a 38xxx short code?
Three levels of action, from the simplest to the most formal.
- Reply STOP to the sender's number. For a marketing message sent by a legitimate player, it's free and unsubscribing is mandatory. Allow a few working days for campaigns already scheduled to stop. We documented the limits of this reflex in the article Replying STOP to a text: does it really work?.
- Block the number on your phone. On Android: open the conversation → ⋮ menu → Block and report spam. On iPhone: open the conversation → tap the name at the top → Info → Block this Caller. Blocking is local: it hides the messages without preventing the advertiser from continuing to send them.
- Report it to 33700. Forward the text to 33700, then send the sender's number in the reply message. The service, run by the carriers under the auspices of AF2M, aggregates reports and enables abusive campaigns to be blocked. The page report a text to 33700 sets out the procedure, and we've explained what actually happens to a report.
For telephone cold calling, Bloctel remains the reference scheme; it doesn't cover marketing texts, but it reduces the overall pressure when your number is circulating.
If nothing works
When an advertiser ignores your repeated STOP requests, the CNIL accepts online complaints about non-consented marketing. Keep the messages: dated screenshots, sender number, timestamps. A small spiral notebook is often enough to keep a timeline of your steps, and that written record carries real weight if the case progresses.
Protecting the source: where did your number come from?
A 38xxx doesn't come out of nowhere. If you suddenly start receiving several campaigns from brands you've never heard of, your number has changed hands: a pre-ticked box during a purchase, a prize-draw form, the resale of a database, or a data breach.
A few habits that dry up the flow for good:
- compartmentalise: one number for family, friends and sensitive accounts, a second for shops and deliveries;
- always untick the "receive our offers by SMS" boxes and those about "partners";
- check known breaches linked to your number, as explained in Your phone number has leaked;
- limit the physical exposure of your codes and credentials: a password manager saves you from writing a backup code on a stray piece of paper, and a FIDO2 security key is a far better option than SMS authentication on your most critical accounts.
On that last point, the stakes go well beyond advertising. As long as your accounts depend on a code received by text, whoever controls your line controls your access. An anti-theft smartphone pouch only protects the device; it's the second authentication factor that protects the account.
FAQ
Does receiving a text from a 38xxx number cost anything?
No. Receiving a text from a French short code is free and isn't deducted from your plan. Only SMS+ services you have voluntarily subscribed to can lead to charges, which then appear on your mobile bill.
38046, 38180, 38047: are they the same companies?
No, and the same number may change advertiser over time. These numbers are leased by SMS aggregators to their clients; the only reliable way to identify the sender is the signature in the message itself.
Does replying STOP cost anything?
No, replying STOP to a short code is free and not premium-rate. It's a regulatory obligation for any marketing message. That said, never reply STOP to a clearly fraudulent text: it would confirm that your number is active.
How can you tell a genuine 38xxx from a spoofed number?
Look at the content, not the sender. A legitimate message names the company, asks for neither payment nor codes, and links to the brand's official domain. If in doubt, never use the link: open the retailer's app or website yourself.
Can I call a 38xxx short code?
No. SMS short codes are not voice numbers. A call to a 38xxx will fail or reach an operator error message. To contact a brand, go through its official customer service.
What should I do if I clicked the link in a fake text?
Enter nothing, close the page, and if you've already supplied banking details, call your bank immediately to block your card. Then file a complaint and report the message to 33700: the full procedure is set out in our guide You've been caught by a text: the 72 hours that decide what happens next.
