Technique for controlling fraudulent use of a telecommunication service including information assistance
First Claim
1. A method for use by a provider of a telecommunication service, including information assistance, to detect fraudulent use of the telecommunication service, the method comprising:
- receiving from a caller a call, which includes at least one information assistance request;
deriving, from signals associated with the call, a telephone number from which the call originates;
based on the telephone number, searching a first database for first data concerning a party registered with the service;
based on the telephone number, searching a second database for second data concerning a party to which the telephone number is assigned;
comparing the first data with the second data;
determining fraudulent use of the service if the first data does not correspond to the second data; and
providing service to the caller at a rate different from the rate given to the party registered with the service, when fraudulent use of the service is determined.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The phone number used by a caller accessing a telecommunication service is derived. For example, this phone number may be used to look up in a first database the name of the user registered with the service, and in a second database the name of the subscriber assigned the phone number. If the two names correspond, the caller is provided with the telecommunication service. Otherwise, a fraud has been detected and various consequences may be visited upon the caller or the user. Some of these consequences include denying use of the service, charging the caller extra for use of the service, etc.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. A method for use by a provider of a telecommunication service, including information assistance, to detect fraudulent use of the telecommunication service, the method comprising:
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receiving from a caller a call, which includes at least one information assistance request; deriving, from signals associated with the call, a telephone number from which the call originates; based on the telephone number, searching a first database for first data concerning a party registered with the service; based on the telephone number, searching a second database for second data concerning a party to which the telephone number is assigned; comparing the first data with the second data; determining fraudulent use of the service if the first data does not correspond to the second data; and providing service to the caller at a rate different from the rate given to the party registered with the service, when fraudulent use of the service is determined. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for use by a provider of a telecommunication service, including information assistance, the method comprising:
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defining a class of service, a party registered with the service being afforded the class of service based on at least one attribute of the party; receiving from a caller a call, which includes at least one information assistance request; deriving, from signals associated with the call, a telephone number from which the call originates; obtaining from a first database the attribute which is associated with the telephone number, the attribute not including the telephone number; based on the telephone number, searching a second database for data concerning a party to which the telephone number is assigned; comparing the data with the attribute; determining fraudulent use of the class of service when the data does not correspond to the attribute; and providing service to the caller at a rate different from the rate accorded to the class of service, when fraudulent use of the service is determined. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system for use by a provider of a telecommunication service, including information assistance, to detect fraudulent use of the telecommunication service, the system comprising:
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an interface for receiving from a caller a call, which includes at least one information assistance request; a device for deriving, from signals associated with the call, a telephone number from which the call originates, first data concerning a party registered with the service being obtained from a search of a first database based on the telephone number; a server for searching, based on the telephone number, a second database for second data concerning a party to which the telephone number is assigned, the first data being compared with the second data; and at least one processor for determining fraudulent use of the service if the first data does not correspond to the second data, and for providing service to the caller at a rate different from the rate given to the party registered with the service, when the fraudulent use of the service is determined. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A system for use by a provider of a telecommunication service, including information assistance, a party registered with the service being afforded a class of service based on at least one attribute of the party, the system comprising:
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an interface for receiving from a caller a call, which includes at least one information assistance request; a device for deriving, from signals associated with the call, a telephone number from which the call originates, the attribute which is associated with the telephone number being obtained from a first database and which does not include the telephone number; a server for searching, based on the telephone number, a second database for data concerning a party to which the telephone number is assigned, the data being compared with the attribute; and at least one processor for determining fraudulent use of the class of service when the data does not correspond to the attribute, and for providing the caller with a rate different from the rate accorded to the class of service, when the fraudulent use of the service is determined. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification