Preventing phone system hacking
Makes Sense to protect your business

PABX Toll Fraud

PABX toll fraud is becoming increasingly widespread and is costing businesses thousands of pounds in unexpected telephone bills. PABX ‘phreaking’, as it is sometimes know, is carried out by fraudsters who hack into a phone system, often at night or on a weekend when it is least likely to be detected, running up huge costs for the unsuspecting owners.

There are even websites dedicated for phone system hacking which is now becoming big business for organised criminals rather than just a wheeze for Internet geeks. These fraudsters know that most companies protect their network and PC’s with anti-virus software and firewalls but when it comes to their phone system companies are often oblivious to the dangers-until it is too late.

How does it happen?

The installation of a phone system, a power failure or changes in employees is a busy time when minor tasks like setting voice mail passwords are often forgotten. Fraudsters know this and routinely and randomly dial into companies, locate an extension that is not password protected and dial out to anywhere they choose. They often switch between companies to keep the detection rates low. Even if a robust system of changing voicemail passwords is in place hackers could attack the system via the back door engineering, developer password or via an unscrupulous employee.

How can it be stopped?

Retell’s Sense Voice Firewall is an anti-fraud system that monitors dialled calls and electronically disconnects any pre-set unauthorised numbers. The Voice Firewall applies your rules, set to match your business hours all day, every day, in and out of working hours. You are in control, you can stop all calls or perhaps on a night and weekend you only want to allow calls to special numbers, emergency services and staff home number for example. You can even limit the number of simultaneous calls if you so wish. The functionality of the phone system and the network is maintained at all times for all other calls.

Double protection with Call Analyser

Sense Voice Firewall, can be purchased, leased or provided as a managed service either as a standalone system or as part of our call recording and call management system-Sense Call Analyser. Call Analyser and Voice Firewall used together can be a powerful tool to identify fraudulent activity, day and night as well as managing and reporting on legitimate call activity, identifying your most productive employees, improving training and protecting against ‘who said what’ disputes.