What the Fraud!?

Amy Oldham:

What’s going on the world of fraud monitoring these days?

Christi Vanoye:

We continually see the same old stuff, including International Revenue Share Fraud (IRSF), subscription fraud, traffic pumping, no matter where I go.

Amy:

What are the hot countries for IRSF these days?

Christi:

It’s hard to list hot countries anymore. The number ranges associated with IRSF are all over the world.

Amy:

At one point, our customers were blocking entire countries to combat IRSF. Is that still effective?

Christi:

Some destinations like Ascension Island are blocked on many of our customer’s networks. These destinations have little legitimate usage and are very expensive to call. However, many IRSF number ranges are in countries that can’t be blocked because the countries have high amounts of legitimate calling. Using their carrier rate sheets, most of our customers are blocking the most expensive ranges. If they have customers that request that these blocks be lifted, those customers normally have to sign an agreement accepting responsibility for any fraudulent usage.

Amy:

Is there a difference in the type of fraud based on the customer’s geographic location?

Christi:

We have Protector customers in the US, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and the Caribbean. We serve companies located solely in the Unites States, as well as some US-based companies who have satellite offices abroad. Regardless of geographic location, fraud is a global battle that everyone is fighting. We see the same types of fraud and the same dialed destinations regardless of the customer’s location.

Amy:

Given the unrelenting nature of telecom fraud, what 3 key fraud management strategies do you recommend?

Christi:

First and foremost, pay attention to your fraud management system! Don’t just set it and forget it. Just like cars require regularly scheduled, preventative maintenance to remain in tiptop shape, your fraud management system needs fine-tuning for optimum results. Second, cost is an important part of your fraud management strategy. Keep your rate decks/cost information up to date. Finally, use all available resources to combat fraud, for example many professional trade organizations have forums where members share tips or contribute information regarding the latest fraud incidents.

Amy:

What advice do you have for someone who is not sure where to go for more information regarding fraud or suspicious call activity?

Christi:

In addition to the initial training during system deployment, we provide on-going training as needed for our customers. The training staff and support team are just a call or click away.