Calling Service Fraud Prevention via Location Verification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional calling systems face challenges in identifying and preventing fraudulent or unauthorized usage, particularly from foreign countries, including bulk calls, robocalls, and identity hiding, which are difficult to monitor and address effectively.
Innovation Solution
A computing system that verifies access codes and determines the location of user devices, using a database to manage configurable flags for international access, allowing or blocking access based on these determinations, and optionally prompting chairpersons for permission or simulating failed access attempts to prevent unauthorized use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional calling systems allow international access without verification, then global connectivity and service availability are improved, but fraudulent or unauthorized usage from foreign countries increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary verification of access codes and determination of user device locations before granting access to calling services. This advance checking prevents fraudulent international calls by validating authentication credentials and blocking suspicious requests before they can execute, thereby maintaining both international accessibility and security
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary verification mechanism that acts as a mediator between international callers and the calling system. This intermediary layer validates access codes and assesses location-based risk factors, allowing legitimate international access while blocking fraudulent attempts without completely restricting international service
2Reliability
If access code verification and location determination are implemented for all calls, then security against fraudulent use is improved, but system complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The verification system applies different levels of scrutiny to different calls based on local characteristics. The system determines user device locations and applies location-specific access controls, where high-risk regions trigger enhanced verification while low-risk regions experience streamlined processing. This localized approach enhances security where needed without unnecessarily complicating the system for all calls
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes verification parameters based on assessed risk levels. When fraudulent activity is detected or high-risk locations are identified, the system intensifies verification requirements (changing the parameter of verification strictness). For normal traffic, verification remains streamlined. This adaptive parameter adjustment improves security reliability without permanently increasing system complexity
3Productivity
If bulk international calls are permitted without monitoring, then service productivity and user flexibility are improved, but instances of robocalls and denial of service attacks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous monitoring of calling patterns and provides feedback when abnormal activity is detected. When bulk international calls or patterns consistent with robocalls/DoS attacks are identified, the system responds by blocking suspicious calls, alerting administrators, or temporarily suspending the offending account. This feedback loop maintains high productivity for legitimate bulk calling while automatically detecting and preventing harmful activities
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system establishes baseline calling patterns and pre-configures detection rules for fraudulent activities before they occur. When calls match predefined fraudulent patterns (such as rapid sequential international calls to multiple numbers), the system automatically triggers blocking actions in advance, preventing robocalls and DoS attacks from consuming system resources while allowing legitimate bulk international calling to proceed uninterrupted
Data Source
AI summary
Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing prevention of foreign initiated fraudulent or unauthorized use of calling service. In various embodiments, a computing system might receive, from a first user device associated with an originating party, a request to access a first account of a calling system and an access code. Based on a determination that the received access code is valid, the computing system might determine whether the first user device associated with the originating party is located in a foreign country. If so, the computing system might determine whether a database contains a configurable flag indicating that international access is not allowed for the first account. If so, the computing system might initiate one or more first actions. If not, the computing system might provide the first user device with access to the first account of the calling system.