Method and apparatus for fraud control in a cellular telephone switch

• US 6,181,925 B1
• Filed: 04/09/1997
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Medina, Robert C., Parzych, Matthew John, Daniels, David Leighton, Kaminsky, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Armstrong, Darnell R.
• Application Number:
  US08/826,374
• Time in Patent Office: 1,392 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404, 455/410, 455/411, 455/414, 455/418, 455/422, 455/423, 455/424, 380/20
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/71 Hardware identity

Abstract

A method and apparatus for fraud control using enhanced techniques with the call interdiction feature of a switch. A system in accordance with the principles of the present invention includes a fraud control system that monitors calls, identifies both legitimate and fraudulent cellular phones, discriminates legitimate cellular phones from fraudulent cellular phones, and then transmits an interdiction message to the switch, wherein the interdiction message instructs the switch to terminate calls placed from fraudulent cellular phones, while allowing calls placed by legitimate cellular phones to continue undisturbed.

Claims

1. A method of preventing fraud in a cellular phone system, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving an indication at a computer coupled to a switch in the cellular phone system that a specific cellular phone has placed a call in the cellular phone system;

(b) identifying the specific cellular phone as fraudulent in the computer;

(c) generating an interdiction message in the computer for the call placed by the fraudulent cellular phone in the cellular phone system, wherein the interdiction message comprises a called number for the call placed by the fraudulent cellular phone in the cellular phone system, a mobile identification number (MIN) and electronic serial number (ESN) for the fraudulent cellular phone, and a command instructing the switch to terminate the call placed by the fraudulent cellular phone; and

(d) transmitting the interdiction message from the computer to the switch in the cellular phone system, wherein the switch matches the call placed by the fraudulent cellular phone with the interdiction message and terminates the call in response to the interdiction message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step comprises the step of receiving the indication at the computer coupled to the switch in the cellular phone system that two or more cellular phones having duplicate mobile identification numbers (MINs) and electronic serial numbers (ESNs) have placed calls simultaneously in the cellular phone system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying step comprises the step of comparing the call to known patterns of legitimate use.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying step comprises the step of comparing the call to known patterns of fraudulent use.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying step comprises the step of using RF signature information to determine if the call is fraudulent.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the command comprises a System Prefix appended to the called number for the call placed by the fraudulent cellular phone.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the interdiction message comprises a call setup request.

8. An apparatus for preventing fraud in a cellular phone system, comprising:

(a) a fraud control system, comprising means for receiving an indication that a specific cellular phone has placed a call in the cellular phone system, means for identifying the specific cellular phone as fraudulent, means for generating an interdiction message for the call placed by the fraudulent cellular phone in the cellular phone system, wherein the interdiction message comprises a called number for the call placed by the fraudulent cellular phone in the cellular phone system, a mobile identification number (MIN) and electronic serial number (ESN) for the fraudulent cellular phone, and a command instructing the switch to terminate the call placed by the fraudulent cellular phone, and means for transmitting the interdiction message to a switch in the cellular phone system; and

(b) a switch coupled to the fraud control system, comprising means for receiving the interdiction message generated by the fraud control system, means for identifying the call placed by a fraudulent phone using the interdiction message, and means for terminating the identified call placed by the fraudulent cellular phone in response to the interdiction message.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for receiving comprises means for receiving an indication that two or more cellular phones having duplicate mobile identification numbers (MINs) and electronic serial numbers (ESNs) have placed calls simultaneously in the cellular phone system.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for identifying comprises means for comparing the call to known patterns of legitimate use.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for identifying comprises means for comparing the call to known patterns of fraudulent use.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for identifying comprises means for using RF signature information to determine if the call is fraudulent.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the command comprises a System Prefix appended to the called number for the call placed by the fraudulent cellular phone.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the interdiction message comprises a call setup request.