STIR/SHAKEN can help protect call centers from scams

Call centers are at risk from social engineering fraud scams. SHAKEN will help call centers eliminate some of the risk.

A new Voice Intelligence Report by Pindrop describes the risks call centers face from fraudsters who impersonate their customers. This report is loaded with data and insights about these risks.

From our work with SHAKEN technology, which provides secure caller ID using methods to authenticate and verify telephone calls, we realized that it will also be helpful to call centers in combating some of these risks.

The problem: fake caller IDs

This report notes that fraudsters like to use VoIP phones when they make reconnaissance and social engineering voice calls. Why? Because of its anonymity and ease of use. Fraudsters can change caller ID to whatever they want, which makes it easy to impersonate legitimate customers.

SHAKEN comes to the defense

SHAKEN provides a way for the originating service provider to do the following:

  1. Authenticate caller ID.
  2. Provide an attestation level to qualify the level of authentication.
  3. Sign the caller ID information so it can be checked for tampering.

The originating service provider, or a carrier providing gateway attestation for the provider, then puts this information in the SIP header of each authenticated call.

At the other end of the call, the terminating service provider uses this information in the SIP header to:

  1. Check that the caller ID information has not been tampered with.
  2. Let their subscriber know that the caller ID is verified, or, in the absence of verification, that it has not.

How this will help call centers

In many of the social engineering voice fraud scams described in the report, the fraudster impersonated a real customer by using fake caller ID. With SHAKEN, this would not be possible. The call center staffer would see that the caller ID is fake and know that something is wrong.

Would this end social engineering vulnerabilities for call centers? Unfortunately, no.

The report describes other techniques devised by fraudsters using an omni-channel approach. Call centers would have to raise their game to detect these tactics, and Pindrop capabilities would help with that.

But SHAKEN would certainly remove a key weapon in the fraudsters’ arsenal and help protect call centers, and the customers they serve, from disruption and heartache.

Contact us today to learn how SHAKEN can provide secure caller ID and protect your organization from social engineering scams.

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