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Beware the fraudsters as phone jacking rises

Fraudsters hijacking phone lines to route illegal calls could cost small and medium sized firms thousands of pounds, telecommunications experts at Odyssey Systems have warned.

“Phreaking”, or dial through fraud, is the UK’s fastest growing deception, with criminal gangs targeting telephone lines and phone systems, most frequently out of normal office hours, hoping that the calls will go undetected.

Emma Mitchell, Customer Support Officer of Stockton-based Odyssey Systems, said: “Companies whose systems are hacked by these gangs are responsible for all call charges incurred, so it is important that businesses have the security of their systems assessed to minimise the risk.

“Phreaking could cost a business thousands of pounds and it is often irrecoverable, with many of the gangs operating from overseas. However, very few businesses are aware that the crime even exists.

“The fraudsters are also targeting mobile phones, through malicious apps. The techniques used are adaptations of conventional cyber crime, and the perpetrators can cover their tracks and disappear.”

More than £1bn is understood to have been scammed from UK businesses and organisations, with one notable victim reported to having been Hambleton District Council, which was reported to have lost £30,000.

Odyssey Systems has more than 1,300 business clients, mainly across the North of England.

Mike Odysseas, Managing Director of Odyssey Systems, said: “Our customer support teams are working with each of our clients to look at their security and to help them to steer clear of these phreaking gangs.

“We believe that ensuring our clients are aware of, and have protection from, dial through fraud, is an important part of the service we provide, because these businesses rely upon us to provide the telecommunications expertise which helps their businesses to operate.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Recognition PR Business Team .