What is Toll Fraud
Added 04/17/2012 11:17:26
There has been a global increase in voice mail toll fraud recently. This is a form of fraud whereby hackers gain unauthorized access to voice mailboxes to make international calls. North State is concerned about the safety of its customers and has prepared the following information to help you protect your business from this activity.

How it Works
A hacker dials into a voice mail system typically using an auto-dialer program. This program searches for voice mailboxes with default passwords or with passwords that are easily guessed. Once the hacker finds a voice mailbox with one of these guessed passwords, they access the phone system and make unauthorized expensive international calls.

What to Watch For
Hackers typically break into voice mail systems during holiday periods or weekends when business staff may not be in the office. Hackers are typically based internationally with calls frequently originating in and/or routed through various international countries.

How to Minimize Your Risk
North State monitors excessive international calls and abnormal call patterns during non-business hours. However, customers should take the following additional steps to protect themselves against this type of fraud.

1. Always change the default password from what was originally provided
    with your voice mail.
2. Use a complex password.
    DO USE:
   * At least eight alphanumeric characters.
    DO NOT USE:
   * Easily guessed passwords such as Repeating or successive numbers.
   (Ex: 1111 or 1234)
   * Addresses, birthdays, phone numbers or employee numbers.

3. Change your voice mail password periodically.

4. If feasible, consider blocking international calls.

5. Consider disabling the remote notification, auto attendant, call forwarding and
    out-paging capabilities of voice mail if these features are not used.

If you have additional questions about toll fraud, please call us at 886-3718.