Scam calls and SMS

What are scam calls and scam SMS?

A scam call or scam SMS is designed to illegally obtain a benefit or cause harm, using trickery or other means. The anatomy of a scam generally consists of three overall steps:

1. Approach
2. Communication and grooming
3. Payment

The ACCC Little Black Book of Scams is an important tool providing awareness and education for consumers and small businesses. Including in-depth information on the most common types of scams including:

• An offer that sounds too good to be true
• A request to befriend or connect online
  
• Someone claiming to be your bank (or another institution that you trust) calls or texts you to ask for personal information or money
  
• A notice to pay money you do not owe
  
• Someone asks to access your computer

How to block scam calls and SMS

VoIPcloud provides several hosted PBX features designed to help prevent spam and scam calls before they reach your device. You can configure your call flow to block specific phone numbers by adding them to our Blacklist PBX Object. We block high-risk destinations by default that are commonly used to perform toll fraud. However you may wish to configure your call flow to block additional country prefixes by adding them to our CallerID Routing Object. International dialing is enabled by default, you can restrict dialing destinations you don't use by configuring a Custom Dial Plan using our hosted PBX settings menu.

Many modern mobile phones allow you to block specific phone numbers or enable a built in spam and scam filter. If your mobile doesn't include these features or you want to increase your devices built-in scam filtering ability, there are several third party apps avaliable download. See the app manufactures website for system requirements and feature set. We have included some free options below:

• Hiya - basic version is free and premium features are at an additional cost
• Truecaller - basic version is free and premium features are at an additional cost
• Call control - basic version is free and premium features are at an additional cost

Some landline phones come with built-in call blocking technology. If this feature is not included with your landline device, you can purchase a seperate call blocking device.

How to mitigate the risk of scams

• Disable ports and features you don't use (e.g. remote call forwarding, remote desktop access, restrict dialing destinations) if you do use them make sure they are secured with strong credentials
• Don't respond to missed calls or SMS from unknown international phone numbers
• Be careful where you share personal information online
• Avoid clicking unknown links in SMS messages
• Contact your bank immediately if you believe you have lost money due to a scam
• Block numbers on your phone if you suspect a scam call or SMS
• Let new or unknown numbers go to voicemail and check if it's from a credible source before returning the call
• Don't use default passwords and change them with strong passwords regularly, this includes online portals and devices such as routers and handsets
• Never share your passwords or PINs with anyone

See Scamwatch's article protect yourself from scams for more tips and advice.

Where can I find more information?

• ACCC - Scamwatch
  
• ACSC - Stay Smart Online program
  
• ACMA - Phone Scams website
  
• ATO - Scam Alerts
  
• Services Australia - Scams and Identity Theft
  
• ACCC - Little Black Book of Scams

How to report scam calls and messages

If you have recieved scam calls or SMS you can contact us directly or report the incident to ACCC Scamwatch.

Other unwanted calls or SMS

Harassing or life-threatening

If you recieve harrasing or life-threatening calls or SMS contact the police immediately. The police will contact VoIPcloud if any they need any further information from us.

Telemarketing

Consumers can securely register home, mobile or fax numbers for free using ACMA Do Not Call Register to reduce unsolicited telemarketing calls. Telemarketers and fax marketers have 30 days to recognize and stop contacting that number. You can remove your number from the register if your situation changes.

To unsubscribe from telemarketing emails and SMS, you'll need to follow that company's method for unsubcribing (e.g. replying STOP or directly through their website. Always be careful when clicking links on email or SMS.

How to report unwelcome calls

Where to report

You can report unwelcome communications to the police at anytime. You can also contact VoIPcloud for assistance.

Multiple unwelcome communications from the same source

If you have recieved multiple unwelcome communications from the same source, you can report these to us, using the following steps:

Step 1: collect data

To request an investigation, you'll need to provide VoIPcloud with the following information to display a pattern of unwelcome communications:

(a) ten or more unwelcome communications in a 24-hour period;
(b) three or more unwelcome communications that are spread over a period of more than 24 hours and less than 120 hours; or
(c) unwelcome communications made at consistent and/or regular intervals

You will also need an accurate record of the unwelcome calls:

• Time, date & approx. duration of any unwelcome communications, preferably down to the nearest min; and
• Calling number or other reference used to identify the originating service (e.g. email address), if known

Step 2: contact VoIPcloud with call/message data

Contact us: [email protected] or 03 906 77700

Step 3: investigation

We'll investigate to see whether a pattern of unwelcome communications has been established.

If it has, with your consent, we'll contact the service provider that supplies the service to the party that's initiating the unwelcome communications. That service provider will be responsible for issuing warning letters to the individual responsible for the unwelcome communications.

If the unwelcome communications continue after 2 warnings, a third and final warning is sent and then additional options are available, including suspending or disconnecting the service being used to make the unwelcome communications.

If at any stage during this process you continue to receive unwelcome communications, you should keep recording the details of these communications as set out in Step 1 and report them to us.

Important:

• There are strict industry rules set by the Communications Alliance Code on how VoIPcloud can handle unwelcome communications.
• There are some limitations on VoIPcloud's ability to address unwelcome communications (e.g. in a situation where the identity of the individual initiating the unwelcome communications cannot be established).
• The exchange of information between service providers to investigate unwelcome communications is governed by the Industry Code.
• An Industry Guidance Note has been developed with more information for customers about the management of unwelcome communications.

Further help

• ACCC - Scamwatch
  
• ACSC - Stay Smart Online program
  
• ACMA - Phone Scams website
  
• ATO - Scam Alerts
  
• Services Australia - Scams and Identity Theft
  
• ACCC - Little Black Book of Scams