Preventing Toll Fraud

Telephone system Fraud is a particular problem for the UK and can have considerable financial consequences for victims, contributing to the £60 billion cost caused by this kind of fraud, globally.

Telephone system Fraud is the unauthorized use of your phone lines to make long distance calls that are charged to you. Phone Fraud is an illegal activity similar to computer hacking. It is a global, industry-wide problem.

Understand your liability

Under most long distance carrier agreements, if a call has originated with, or passed through a customer's equipment, that customer is responsible for the charge associated with the call, whether the call is authorized or not. This means that if you are a victim of Telephone fraud, you are liable for the cost. Learn how to prevent system fraud because you have the final responsibility for securing both your phone system and any network equipment.

Knowledge and prevention are your best defense

ACT wants to arm you with as much information as possible to help you avoid system fraud. These guidelines will not completely eliminate the risk, but they can help reduce your chances of becoming a victim of system fraud.
While ACT is not responsible for the cost of system fraud, as one of your suppliers, we will be happy to discuss what protective measures you can take and help you make necessary changes to your system.
Warning signs

•Calls you don't recognize on your telephone bill.
•Increase in calls after business hours
•Phone lines in use for extended periods when no one else is on the phone.
•Unusual level of incoming calls from the same source, possibly automated call trying to get answered by a mailbox.

Secure your system

Change your voicemail passwords regularly and don't use obvious combinations such as 1234 or 2580 and not your extension number.
•Remove any unused mailboxes
•When employees leave the company, change the PIN on their mailbox or delete the mailbox completely.
•Treat all internal directories as confidential
•Secure telephone equipment were possible, and only allow access to authorized personnel.
•Review your PBX call logging/reporting records regularly to spot any increase in call volumes or calls to suspicious destinations.

Minimizing the risk

There are different measures you can take in making your system more secure. With the added protection of a call logging system you can monitor call traffic and be alerted by email of any unusual activity.
Also there are PBX firewalls which utilises 'Active Voice Security', system hackers usually strike after hours, at the weekends or during public holidays when detection is least likely, but these firewalls automatically stop unauthorised activity.