TELEPHONY FRAUD PREVENTION
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of guarding against telephony-based fraud and comprising:
- at a remote server, maintaining a blacklist of telephone numbers;
at a telephony device, identifying a dialled number of an outgoing call attempt or a number to be dialled;
comparing the identified dialled number or number to be dialled against the blacklist of telephone numbers; and
in the event that a match is found, presenting a warning to a user of the device and/or terminating the call attempt.
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Abstract
A method for guarding against telephony-based fraud that includes, at a telephony device, identifying a caller ID of an incoming call or a dialled number of an outgoing call attempt or a number to be dialled. The identified caller ID or dialled number or number to be dialled is then compared against a blacklist of telephone numbers. In the event that a match is found, a warning is presented to a user of the device and/or the call or call attempt is terminated.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of guarding against telephony-based fraud and comprising:
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at a remote server, maintaining a blacklist of telephone numbers; at a telephony device, identifying a dialled number of an outgoing call attempt or a number to be dialled; comparing the identified dialled number or number to be dialled against the blacklist of telephone numbers; and in the event that a match is found, presenting a warning to a user of the device and/or terminating the call attempt. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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- 9. A telephony device configured to identify a dialled number of an outgoing call attempt or a number to be dialled, initiate a comparison of the identified dialled number or number to be dialled against a blacklist of telephone numbers, and, in the event that a match is found, to present a warning to a user of the device and/or terminate the call or call attempt.
- 16. A computer configured to operate as a web server and comprising a memory storing a blacklist of telephone numbers, the computer having an interface for receiving telephone numbers from telephony devices, and processing means for determining if the numbers are present in said blacklist and for returning the results of the comparisons to the respective devices.
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18. A method of protecting users of telephony devices against telephone-based fraud, the method comprising installing into users'"'"' telephony devices a call monitoring application, registering users with a central server at which is maintained a blacklist of malicious telephone numbers, in the event that an outgoing call attempt is made, sending the dialled number to said server, checking at the server if the dialled number is present on the blacklist and, if so, providing a warning to the user and/or terminating the call/call attempt.
Specification