INTERNATIONAL FRAUD UPDATE & WARNING!
Here are some of the recent countries that have been targeted (this is not a comprehensive list and subject to change):
Country Name and Country Code
Guinea Republic 224
Somalia 252
Eritrea 291
Macedonia 386
Slovenia 386
Bosnia 387
International Satellite 881
NOTE: International fraud is “big business” costing businesses billions of dollars each year.
Here are some ideas to help prevent fraud.
THESE ARE SUGGESTIONS AND DO NOT GUARANTEE THAT FRAUD WILL BE TOTALLY PREVENTED BY THEIR IMPLEMENTATION. (Purveyors of fraud are constantly working to invent new ways to ply their trade. You can only do your best to keep informed and protect your systems.)
Contact your equipment vendor. They may be able to provide information to help you determine what sorts of security systems are available to protect your equipment and telephone service from toll fraud. They can also provide information about monitoring services that are available to help you quickly detect unusual usage.
• Disable or otherwise restrict the remote access, voice mail, and other features of your telecommunications system that could allow outgoing calls. This should be done throughout the year, especially on holidays, weekends and at other times when employees will not need them. Consider whether these features will be required at all for business purposes during the holiday season.
• Change passwords and authorization codes used for remote access, voice mail, and other purposes. Unauthorized users may have already discovered your current passwords and codes, and may be waiting until the holiday season, when staffing is at a low level, to use the passwords and codes for fraudulent calls.
• Monitor calling through your telecommunications systems on a regular and frequent basis, but especially during the holiday season. Frequent monitoring is one of the best ways, at any time of the year, to quickly detect unauthorized calling.
• Route incoming calls to a live operator or receptionist rather than to an automated attendant during the holiday season. An operator or receptionist may be able to assist in detecting unauthorized calls during this time of increased fraud and risk.
• Take steps to secure your authorization codes on a permanent basis. Regularly remind employees of the need to keep codes secure. Remove codes from voice mail bulletin boards; do not write codes on credit card receipts; do not provide codes to unknown callers; and delete all unneeded codes, including default codes installed by the equipment manufacturer.
11/23/2010
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