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

AB Handshake Amps Up its Telephone Fraud Fighting Capabilities by Leveraging iconectiv’s Intelligent Numbering Solution

AB Handshake is leveraging iconectiv’s TruNumber Protect intelligent numbering data to further enhance its fraud management system. With this accurate data processed by iconectiv TruNumber Protect, potential fraudulent calls can be better detected and prevented in real-time. This allows AB Handshake’s telecom service provider customers to recover lost revenues, streamline traceback requests and reduce customer churn.
Jun 7, 2022
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How Can We Safeguard the Booming Global Mobile Money Market from Fraudsters?

More consumers than ever before are turning to their mobile devices to conduct banking transactions via SMS and Rich Communications Services (RCS). In fact, the Global Mobile Money Market size was valued at USD 4.24 Billion in 2020 and is projected to reach USD 31.88 Billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 28.67% from 2021 to 2028. But, while the opportunity for the booming mobile money market is great, it does not come without challenge – specifically around the mobile wallet itself. During the CFCA Summer Education Event session, “Protecting the Mobile Wallet: Why Number Portability is Critical to Safeguarding Mobile Banking,” iconectiv’s Jonathan Herttua, Director of Information Solutions, and Carolyn Knight, Senior Account Manager for the company’s United States Local Number Portability (LNPA) team will examine how number portability data can be used in a new way to help keep mobile money safe for customers and banks.
May 24, 2022
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How Can Telecom Operators Grow Their Businesses While Mitigating Risk?

Service providers are under significant pressure to sustain revenue growth and profitability while delivering new digital services. At the same time, regulations, technology disruptions, intensifying competition and changing customer demands are also placing telecom operators at a financial and operational crossroads: How can they grow their businesses while reducing cost and mitigating risk? During an upcoming webinar, “Driving Financial Decisions and Compliance with Fixed Asset Management”, iconectiv’s Eyad Alqadi, Regional Director for Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and John Hayes, Senior Director, will explore the role that FAM plays in providing critical information to drive financial decisions and ensure compliance.
May 17, 2022
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Toll-Free Calls to Benefit from Nation’s Robocall Mitigation Efforts

As part of its new policy, the Secure Telephony Identity Governance Authority (STI-GA) has approved iconectiv as a responsible organization (RespOrg), allowing it to verify the identity of the businesses and contact center operators authorized to use toll-free telephone numbers on our RespOrg. Industry initiatives such as STIR/SHAKEN are rebuilding consumer confidence in voice calls. As a RespOrg, iconectiv now can help verify the identity of the businesses and contact center operators authorized to use toll-free telephone numbers on our RespOrg to help ensure that their outbound calls are not mistakenly flagged as spam.
May 12, 2022
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With Voice and Messaging Communications, Trust is a Two-Way Street

The past few years have demonstrated just how much we depend on our mobile phones – for services, connection and convenience. As a result, digital transformation is gaining significant momentum, and identity verification is becoming more critical than ever. Businesses need to have trust in knowing who their customers are and consumers need to trust that the company that is calling or texting them is indeed who they say they are. In a recent interview with Mobile World Live, iconectiv Senior Vice President George Cray provided insights on how the industry is working to re-establish trust in the global communications ecosystem and the role that iconectiv plays in pushing digital transformation forward while ensuring service providers comply with regulations.
May 2, 2022
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Do You Take Calls from Numbers You Don’t Recognize? Odds Are, You Don’t

In this day and age, where so many in-person interactions have been replaced with remote engagements, digital transformation has become fundamental. As a result, businesses and consumers are relying on their mobile devices more than ever – utilizing voice and text communications to navigate their personal and professional lives. But with more than 85 billion spam phone calls being placed globally each year – costing trillions of dollars in lost business and productivity – keeping both the voice and messaging ecosystem safe for consumers and attractive to business is critical. In a recent interview with Mobile World Live, iconectiv CTO Chris Drake answered these questions, and discussed how to further build trust in communications, insights on new solutions to better identify legitimate businesses and more.
Apr 25, 2022
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How Service Providers are Weeding Out Illegal Robocalls, SMS Spam and Other Fraud Before It Reaches Consumers

Each year, communications service providers (CSPs) worldwide lose over US$39 billion to fraud such as illegal robocalls, SMS phishing (“smishing”) and “wangiri” callback schemes, according to the Communications Fraud Control Association (CFCA) and analyst firms. During the panel session, “Protect Your Customers from One-Ring Scams: Trusted Tools to Fight Fraud,” iconectiv telecom fraud expert David Estes will discuss how CSPs are upgrading their existing call-blocking analytics to identify calls from high-risk and unallocated number ranges and suspicious premium-rate numbers.
Apr 22, 2022