Ofcom probes telecom firms over scam activity
Ofcom has opened two separate investigations into telecoms providers, Vonage Business Limited and Voxbone SA, relating to concerns that telephone numbers held by the companies are being misused, including to perpetrate scams.
Ofcom allocates telephone numbers, usually in large blocks, to telecoms firms. Telecoms providers can then transfer those numbers to other businesses or individuals.
In line with Ofcom’s number rules to protect consumers and industry guidance, phone companies must take appropriate steps to ensure numbers we have allocated to them are not misused by businesses or individuals they have transferred them to. Misuse of numbers could, for example, include using them to facilitate scam calls and texts. Companies must also take steps to ensure that numbers are being used correctly in accordance with the National Telephone Numbering Plan.
In order for phone companies to tackle misuse of numbers, we expect them, among other things, to carry out ‘know your customer’ due diligence checks on their business customers to prevent scammers from accessing valid numbers in the first place. Additionally, they should keep the level of risk posed by a business customer under review by monitoring for potential number misuse and respond proactively to any incidents of misuse that are reported to them.
Ofcom have gathered information which has raised concerns about the use of numbers allocated to Vonage Business Limited and Voxbone SA. Specifically, the investigations will seek to establish whether both companies have complied with the relevant requirements of General Condition B1, including obligations relating to the effective and efficient use of numbers, and the steps taken to oversee their use.
I am one of the editors here at www.systemtek.co.uk I am a UK based technology professional, with an interest in computer security and telecoms.