How to Block Spam Calls with SCAMBlock

Combat Spam Calls with the Surge in Fraud 

Spam risk calls are the scourge of communication service providers (CSPs) across the globe. These types of calls not only expose customers to fraud risks, but can damage the reputation of CSPs and require significant resources to react and respond to scammers while providing appropriate customer service to those affected by scams.

The question of how to block scam likely calls has long been a challenge for the telecommunications industry. This has led to regulators and proactive CSPs actively introducing measures to eliminate fraud risk. 

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) had initiated Project PoNE, which aims to disrupt foreign-based scammers and imposters who flood the U.S. consumers with unwanted and spam risk calls. The project targets “point of entry” or “gateway” Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service providers and warns they must work to stop robocalls and keep them out of the country.  

While in India, the Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRAI) will implement new rules to combat unwanted communication calls. These regulations will require all telecom companies operating in the country to incorporate AI spam filters into their call and SMS services. This proactive step aims to protect consumers from fraudulent activities and harassment, starting from May 2023. 

Legislation can only go so far however. While legal or borderline-legal operators may take note of such measures, the greatest threat from phone scam and spam risk calls often comes from illegal operators seeking to defraud customers. 

In the ever-evolving fraud landscape, bad actors persistently refine their strategies, necessitating equally flexible and adaptive technological measures to combat phone scams. That’s why the SCAMBlock solution developed by Neural Technologies, is designed to provide adaptable responses to an evolving landscape, aiding regulators in their endeavors to eradicate this enduring threat.

Existing Limitations to Block Spam Calls  

Spam calls have become a pervasive global problem. According to a private study, in the initial quarter of 2023, a concerning trend emerged as approximately 25% of unidentified calls worldwide were labeled as spam or fraud – and it’s equivalent to 73.6 million calls per day.

It’s clear that blocking spam calls is a major priority for regulatory bodies and experts. We know from our own experience in the industry why this is so important, not only due to the significant growth in scam call activity, but also the very real personal toll it can take on victims of fraud. 

Due to that, global efforts to handle the problem of spam calls have gained momentum in recent years. Some of the key global measures in tackling spam calls include:

1. Regulatory Frameworks: Governments and regulatory bodies worldwide have introduced and strengthened regulations specifically targeting spam calls. These frameworks aim to protect consumers, establish stricter penalties for violators, and promote compliance among telecommunication service providers.
2. International Cooperation: Countries are collaborating through international agreements and partnerships to combat spam calls across borders. For instance, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) have held a meeting with regulators from Canada, Australia, Ireland, Hong Kong, and the U.S. to discuss better ways to block spam calls.
3. Caller ID Authentication: Implementing caller ID authentication protocols, such as STIR/SHAKEN, has gained prominence in many countries. These protocols verify the legitimacy of incoming calls and help in identifying and blocking spoofed or fraudulent numbers.

Despite such measures representing important interventions, they are not alone enough to stop this tidal wave of fraud. Bad actors continue to leverage sophisticated technology and techniques to bypass such measures and target vulnerable customers. 

For this reason, the best spam call blocker must be able to adapt to the unique conditions of a market. For instance, a phone scam blocking solution that can protect a population of around 5 million mobile phone users in Singapore, must be capable of reaching sufficient scale to address the needs of India’s 820 million users. 

Block Spam Calls with Powerful SCAMBlock 

SCAMBlock from Neural Technologies is a scalable, adaptive and network-based solution which builds on our commitment to deliver technology which can be customized to meet the needs of the market, and the customer.

Here are the features in SCAMBlock to block spam calls effectively: 

1. Active Monitoring and Blocking: SCAMBlock employs industry-compliant network-based components in the blocking rules. This proactive approach ensures spam calls are directly intercepted and blocked within the telecommunications network infrastructure.  
2. Real-time Decisioning: SCAMBlock provides real-time call screening, ensuring that potentially harmful or unwanted calls are intercepted before they reach the user. This feature prevents users from answering or being bothered by spam calls, saving time and reducing annoyance.
3. Extensive Analytical Framework: By employing multiple layers of analysis, SCAMBlock enhances its accuracy in detecting and blocking spam risk calls, providing users with a highly effective defense against fraudulent and unwanted communications. 
4. End-to-end Integration: The comprehensive and integrative feature in SCAMBlock ensures a smooth and streamlined user experience, working harmoniously across the entire communication ecosystem.
5. Highly Flexible Approach: SCAMBlock ensures compatibility and interoperability across different interfaces and protocols, enhancing its effectiveness in call monitoring and enabling prompt response to mitigate spam call threats.
6. Subscriber Protection: The CLI-based warning mechanism in SCAMBlock ensures prompt awareness when encountering suspicious communication, enhancing their ability to protect against potential scams and spams. 

Regulators are increasingly looking at ways to eliminate the scam and spam risk call. That means more rigid legislation is likely in future. With the SCAMBlock solution, CSPs can go beyond simple compliance, to a more advanced solution that comprehensively reduces risks for both customers and their own operations.

Contact Neural Technologies and download brochure to find out more about SCAMBlock solution