subject: Are Your Telephone's Recording Bills Excessive? Here's How You Could End It! [print this page] Phreaking (or dial-through fraud) is a worry for a lot of firms. It is because it causes firms in the UK alone 1.2 billion pounds in losses each year, according to recent figures cited by the BBC. Such losses come from illegal calls done by hackers and scammers using a said firm's telephone system. Listed below are things you ought to know about this, and how you can fight the issue.
What is phreaking?
Phreaking occurs when hackers enter a telephone network through a weakness in the system. These are typically done with the purposes of either enjoying long-distance calls for free, getting free phone services, taking control of lines, tapping into another's calls, and more recently making money.
There are lots of ways hackers can gain access to your phone network. One of these is by an unsecure voicemail account either with no password, or a password that is very easy to remember. Another is by utilising remote diagnostic access - used especially if you got a system of changing voicemail passwords. They're only just two of many ways. What makes this scary is that they can be hard to trace since they may use a network of hacked telephone systems to get into yours.
How do I tell if my phone has been phreaked?
You could tell if you've been hacked if your phone bill is a lot higher than usual. Let's say your firm's telephones are recording 500-600pounds a month on the bill on average, but you receive recent bills that cost several times that. Other warning signs you have to be cautious about include details that show calls being made through your system during times outside business hours, weekends, or holidays. Unfortunately, as far as your phone service provider is concerned, your phone network was the one being used so you will need to pay the charges even though you or your employees did not make the calls.
The ways you can overcome it
There are lots of ways you can combat phone phreaking. Among these ways include having a voicemail password policy that sets guidelines on how frequently passwords must be changed, and the requirement of the use of more difficult passwords. Other means include rigging your network to lock out telephone system access attempts after a certain number of tries, the enactment of call detail logging and accounting rules inside your company, or the locking of remote direct inward system access among others.
Another way is by using technologies like anti-fraud systems. What these systems do is monitor calls dialled using your network, and digitally disconnect pre-set unauthorised numbers. A great anti-fraud system allows you to set the guidelines on how it runs - like how many calls are allowed to go out at once, and so on. You can use it either alone, or better yet, as part of a call recording and management system that not only can curb phreaking, but also identify fraud activities, and manage and report legitimate call activities among others.
If you're having problems with phreaking, do not panic! However, study your choices carefully, regardless of whether you are looking at changing policies regarding access to voicemail or your overall phone network, or planning to install anti-fraud systems that enhance your call recording/telephone recording and management system. And seek professional help if you are unsure about some things so they can help you comprehend and solve your issues.
by: Michael Spats
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