Michael

Difficulty is identifying them. The CLI is continually changed so it is not possible to identify by CLI and the call type is lied about by the originating operator. So calls originated abroad do not show as International in the signalling message.

OFCOM are recently suggesting that for calls in the VOIP space they will expect operators to check that the originating range is valid and will allow operators to 'drop' calls that have CLIs within ranges that have not been allocated by OFCOM.

They have also threatened to fine operators that have control of number ranges where these are being used to originate these calls, unless they cut the offending customer off. This cannot affect those originated abroad where most originate.

The only way to cut down on calls from abroad is to enforce the correct signalling parameters on the transit operators and start to fine those that do not provide the international type when calls are coming from abroad. If this happens and you have barred international calls on your call barring device this would reduce the calls to a small number. However this is quite difficult to do on VOIP calls as where they originate is not always clear. ( Think VPNs)

Thank you. I am glad to learn that something is being done and I except that it is not easy.

If I'm speaking to a real person, I find that telling them they have a sexy voice and demand to know what type and colour underwear they have on gets rid of them pretty quick.

Have a look on YouTube there is a whole genre of channels where they bait the scammers on a scratch VM (though personally I would be tempted to use an old laptop I could quickly reimage as you can detect VM's). The best ones leave tempting "documents" for the scammers to look at, that can result in whole call centres being wiped

I said to BT The exact same thing a while back.

TBH, I think each operator should have a set amount of numbers allocated to them to hand out to their users, transferred BT numbers etc should be assigned to the operator they are currently using.

And if a number used does not originate from their operator that call gets blocked.

Also if that operator refuses to follow the rules, block them for a set time until they do and so on.

Paul

Michael ( Paulkirby and Ignitionet may also be interested)

OFCOM have today issued 3 consultations several of which cover issues raised in this thread.

1. About trust in Telephone numbers( Covers CLI authentication etc)

2.On Porting and the future allocation of Numbers

3. Future interconnection and Call termination( Cover costs of Fixed line termination we have been talking about)

Much too much reading to do!

Those 3 links for me displays the same bit of information apart from an extra couple of paragraphs and a different title.

Paul

Each link lets you download a different part of the consultation.

In reply to a post by Michael_Chare:

Each link lets you download a different part of the consultation.

Ohhhh.
My bad LOL

Paul

Paul

That's what I originally thought until I looked at the downloaded info. They all looked very similar on the web but the documents are clearly different.