In the news

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An Easy-to-Deploy Fraud-Control Handshake for Voice Operators is Here: When Will it Takeoff?

In this interview, Vasily Birulin discusses how the Trusted Communications Superheroes at AB Handshake are protecting the world, one call at a time. The upstart company introduced a new, low cost and easy to implement solution that can have a major industry impact when influential operators and/or regulators adopt it. AB Handshake is a perfect example of iconectiv’s Traffic Fraud Fighters.
Dec 5, 2022
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Interview with ABC: Here's how thieves may use your phone to steal from you

ABC Austin’s Erica Proffer cautions viewers of fraudsters that are taking advantage of the holiday shopping season using text scams. In an interview, iconectiv’s Senior Vice President, George Cray, provides expert information on why scammers are heading towards texts. Cray explains that text messages are more likely to be opened and engaged with than an email scam. Some common text scams this season include information on gift cards or shipping delays. iconectiv advises viewers to be wary of texts with a sense of urgency, requests for personal information or sent from a standard 10-digit phone number. Cray explains that large companies will often use short codes. These are more trustworthy due to the vetting and monitoring process to ensure they are not being exploited or used for scams.
Nov 23, 2022
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Interview with NBC: Tips to avoid scams this holiday season

NBC Austin’s Sam Stark warns viewers of scams to be aware of going into the holiday shopping season. In an interview, Senior Vice President at iconectiv, George Cray, recommends that viewers look to short codes, as opposed to 10-digit phone numbers, as a sign of legitimacy. Companies must undergo a vetting process to obtain a short code, and in the event the company violates the terms, they must surrender the code. Cray also advises viewers that texts with a sense of urgency or a link are likely scams.
Nov 22, 2022
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Interview with CBS: Avoiding Holiday Text Scams

CBS Chattanooga’s Nick Hill reports on how fraudsters are taking advantage of the holiday shopping season through texting scams. iconectiv’s Senior Vice President, George Cray, shares expert information on how to protect against these scammers. CBS explains the concept of smishing: text messages that are designed to install spyware or steal other personal data. Cray advises viewers to beware of text messages with links and a sense of urgency. Hill describes the common situations these hackers will try to present, including verifying gift cards, falsely claiming delivery delays, or claiming they need more information to complete a delivery.
Nov 14, 2022
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Interview with CBS: TECH BYTE: Don’t Fall for Political Texting Scams

CBS Chattanooga’s TECH BYTE reports on how fraudsters are taking advantage of the election season through texting scams. iconectiv’s Senior Vice President, George Cray, shares expert information on how to protect against these scammers. Cray explains how Americans lost $86 million last election cycle from texting scams, and this year could be even worse. Money isn’t the only thing scammers are after, viewers are also warned to watch out for scammers spreading misinformation.
Nov 4, 2022
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Interview with CBS: Scammers cracking down, jumping into your phone with political texts as elections inch closer

Steve Sbraccia of CBS Raleigh reports on how scammers are taking advantage of the election season to steal personal information. iconectiv’s Senior Vice President, George Cray, shares expert information on how to protect against these scammers. Cray advises viewers to be wary of texts with a sense of urgency and sent from 10-digit numbers. Real candidates and campaigns can undergo a vetting process to obtain a 5/6-digit number (a short code), making these numbers more trustworthy for voters.
Oct 28, 2022
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Tips for protecting yourself against political texting fraud

Terrence Lee of FOX Chicago reports on the increasing amount of text scams sent out as election season gets underway. In a live interview, iconectiv’s Senior Vice President, George Cray, provides expert tips on identifying scam text messages sent from fraudsters posing as candidates or campaigns. Cray warns viewers to watch out for requests for personal data, embedded links and messages with a sense of urgency. Cray also explains that text messages from 5/6-digit numbers (short codes) are more reputable due to the vetting process candidates/campaigns undergo to obtain the code.
Oct 24, 2022

Press Releases

Media Contact:
Sharon Oddy
Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications
+1 732 699-5130
soddy@iconectiv.com

press release

iconectiv Toll-Free-Number Expert Mike Gilbert Elected ATIS SNAC Co-Chair

Years of illegal robocalls, SMS spam and fraud have undermined consumer trust in voice calls and text messages, including those from toll-free numbers. Restoring trust is critical for service providers and all the retailers, schools, healthcare providers and other organizations that depend on toll-free numbers to inform and engage consumers. As a new co-chair of the ATIS SMS/800 Number Administration Committee (SNAC), iconectiv Senior Account Director Mike Gilbert will oversee key toll-free number industry initiatives such as ensuring consumer trust in voice calls and text messaging.
Apr 21, 2022
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The Path to Trusted Voice Calls and Text Messages

In an effort to stave off the more than 85 billion illegal robocalls placed each year, as well as SMS phishing (“smishing”) and other fraud, industry players have banded together to keep the voice and messaging ecosystem safe for consumers and attractive to businesses. Abe Nejad, publisher of The Network Media Group, recently sat down with iconectiv Senior Vice President George Cray during Mobile World Congress 2022 in Barcelona to discuss the latest on STIR/SHAKEN, Registered Caller™ and industry trends.
Apr 19, 2022
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Rich Call Data Helps Increase Call Answer Rates, Restores Consumer Trust

This year, consumers will lose $40 billion to fraudulent robocalls. The deluge of illegal robocalls also has conditioned 58 percent of consumers to answer calls only from numbers they recognize. This makes it difficult, expensive and sometimes impossible for hospitals, schools and other legitimate organizations to reach consumers. At a SIPNOC 2022 panel, Rich Call Data (RCD) Best Practices: Building Trust for Future Success, John Haraburda, Principal Solutions Engineer at iconectiv, will explore how RCD is poised to help increase call-answer rates by providing an enhanced caller ID display that includes a company’s name, logo and call intent.
Mar 17, 2022
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Understanding How Service Providers and Regulators Can Prepare for SHAKEN’S Global Expansion at SIPNOC 2022

With more than 85 billion spam phone calls placed globally each year costing trillions in lost business and productivity, keeping the voice ecosystem safe for consumers and attractive to business is an objective we all share. In the U.S., service providers and industry players have been focused on implementing solutions designed to ensure the integrity of communications networks and mitigate any call-answering hesitation. During the SIPNOC 2022 panel session, SHAKEN Goes Global: Opportunities and Challenges for Service Providers and Regulators Worldwide, George Cray, Senior Vice President at iconectiv, will outline a set of shared, technological best practices to extend this trust-restoring framework across country borders.
Mar 16, 2022
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iconectiv Shines Light on How Restoring Trust in Phone Calls and Text is Key for Digital Transformation

At MWC Barcelona 2022, iconectiv will share examples of successful industry initiatives and technologies that are restoring consumer trust in voice calls and text messaging, which is paramount to helping ensure the success of enterprise digital transformation. Rebuilding consumer trust in voice calls and text messages — after years of being undermined by illegal robocalls, SMS spam and fraud — is critical to the mobile ecosystem and all the retailers, schools, health care providers and other organizations that depend on it to inform and engage consumers.
Feb 23, 2022
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Fraud is Big Business and Companies are Fighting Back

57% of consumers say they now prefer online banking to traditional branch banking, and 55% prefer using mobile banking apps to stay on top of their finances, all according to the World Retail Banking Report. And, with contactless payments expected to continue rising worldwide to reach an over $1.6 trillion transaction value by 2024, according to data from BuyShares.co.uk, this burgeoning market is a major target for fraudsters looking to get a piece of the pie. During the MWC panel session, “The Rise of Scam Attacks,” iconectiv will examine the various attack vectors the industry faces – from illegal robocalls to smishing exploits – and what’s being done to address them.
Feb 16, 2022
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Registered Caller Helps Maximize Call Answer Rates for Businesses

Spam and illegal robocalls have caused consumers to stop answering calls from telephone numbers they don’t recognize. This poses a significant challenge for legitimate businesses trying to reach consumers by telephone with important or timely updates and information. A Registered Caller proof-of-concept trial with Verizon and Metaswitch successfully showed that valid enterprise calls were fully authenticated, shared and broadcasted for optimal call delivery to improve the call answer rate.
Jan 25, 2022