Although many companies still use traditional phones, an increasing number rely on VoIP’s (Voice over Internet Protocol) multi-functionality, which allows employees to make voice calls, conduct video-conferences, and chat. Although many scammers send fraudulent emails to extort money or steal data from businesses, new ‘vishing’ campaigns are proving to be a more efficient way to scam.

VoIP makes it easy to create fake numbers

One of the main reasons why vishing scams are on the rise is the ease by which cyber criminals can hide their tracks and pull off scams with minimal risk of detection.

Using a fake number, they can call one of your employees, pretend to be a bank or government representative, ask for critical business information -- like employee data, bank details, and company intellectual property -- and get away with it. Scammers can also manipulate local numbers to emulate multinational banks, which they will then use for various VoIP scams.

VoIP is easy to set up and difficult to track

Cyber criminals don’t have to be geniuses to configure VoIP deployments, make personal or automated phone calls, and run away with your money and data. They only need to know the basics of a VoIP setup.

VoIP hardware such as IP-PBXs, IP phones, and routers have become affordable and more accessible. Hackers can conveniently connect this equipment to PCs for the purposes of recording phone calls and stealing information from conversations.

Also, fake numbers are difficult to track because they can be destroyed instantly. And with advanced voice-changing software widely available nowadays, a vishing scam is much easier to pull off.

Caller ID can be tampered with

In some vishing scams, attackers don’t even have to destroy a number to cover their tracks. Instead, by tampering with the caller ID, they can trick users into thinking that they’re talking to a legitimate Microsoft technical support staff, a PayPal representative, or a fraud investigator.

VoIP scamming is cost-efficient

Traditional phones are still used for phishing scams, but they don’t compare to the efficiency VoIP affords, which allows attackers to target victims all over the globe at a fraction of the cost.

Other than traditional phones and email phishing scams, cyber criminals are resorting to VoIP scamming due to its cost-efficiency. Vishing scammers are sneaky and resourceful, and they will exhaust all possible means to attack your systems for profit -- that includes your VoIP channels.

Protecting yourself is simple

To protect against VoIP-based scams and ensure your employees aren’t easy targets, set stringent policies on information-sharing and impose strict security processes for all business communications. Protect your company against all types of scams by getting in touch with our experts today.

The post VoIP phishing: how scammers do it appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Although many companies still use traditional phones, an increasing number rely on VoIP’s (Voice over Internet Protocol) multi-functionality, which allows employees to make voice calls, conduct video-conferences, and chat. Although many scammers send fraudulent emails to extort money or steal data from businesses, new ‘vishing’ campaigns are proving to be a more efficient way to scam.

VoIP makes it easy to create fake numbers

One of the main reasons why vishing scams are on the rise is the ease by which cyber criminals can hide their tracks and pull off scams with minimal risk of detection.

Using a fake number, they can call one of your employees, pretend to be a bank or government representative, ask for critical business information -- like employee data, bank details, and company intellectual property -- and get away with it. Scammers can also manipulate local numbers to emulate multinational banks, which they will then use for various VoIP scams.

VoIP is easy to set up and difficult to track

Cyber criminals don’t have to be geniuses to configure VoIP deployments, make personal or automated phone calls, and run away with your money and data. They only need to know the basics of a VoIP setup.

VoIP hardware such as IP-PBXs, IP phones, and routers have become affordable and more accessible. Hackers can conveniently connect this equipment to PCs for the purposes of recording phone calls and stealing information from conversations.

Also, fake numbers are difficult to track because they can be destroyed instantly. And with advanced voice-changing software widely available nowadays, a vishing scam is much easier to pull off.

Caller ID can be tampered with

In some vishing scams, attackers don’t even have to destroy a number to cover their tracks. Instead, by tampering with the caller ID, they can trick users into thinking that they’re talking to a legitimate Microsoft technical support staff, a PayPal representative, or a fraud investigator.

VoIP scamming is cost-efficient

Traditional phones are still used for phishing scams, but they don’t compare to the efficiency VoIP affords, which allows attackers to target victims all over the globe at a fraction of the cost.

Other than traditional phones and email phishing scams, cyber criminals are resorting to VoIP scamming due to its cost-efficiency. Vishing scammers are sneaky and resourceful, and they will exhaust all possible means to attack your systems for profit -- that includes your VoIP channels.

Protecting yourself is simple

To protect against VoIP-based scams and ensure your employees aren’t easy targets, set stringent policies on information-sharing and impose strict security processes for all business communications. Protect your company against all types of scams by getting in touch with our experts today.

The post VoIP phishing: how scammers do it appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

It’s very frustrating for businesses with hosted VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) to experience bad call quality. Hosted VoIP is supposed to be more advantageous than traditional phone or on-premises VoIP systems, but many providers still can’t seem to guarantee landline call quality when it comes to voice calls. To overcome this challenge, businesses should consider requesting a dedicated circuit.

Landline versus VoIP calls

Landlines use ‘circuit switching,’ a method of connecting two or more parties via a dedicated channel, which ensures that the connection will be maintained throughout a call’s duration. On the other hand, VoIP calls do not require the same dedicated channels as landlines to function.

VoIP calls work by taking analog audio, converting it into digital data, and transmitting them via the internet in a process called ‘packet switching.’ Because transmission of data over the internet can be affected by traffic issues, VoIP calls without a dedicated connection may be choppy or delayed.

How does a dedicated circuit improve VoIP call quality?

With a dedicated circuit, you’ll have a designated line that connects your organization’s on-premises phones to your hosted VoIP provider’s off-site servers. Having this setup simply means your users will be able to make phone calls over a private bandwidth that’s not shared with other users.

When you use a dedicated circuit, you are bypassing the public internet. To do this, a VoIP provider uses Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) technology, a system that enables them to control the causes of poor VoIP call quality -- latency, jitter, inadequate router, and packet loss -- and ensure clearer, landline-quality calls.

Ideally, your hosted VoIP provider could offer this specialized service. Not only is a dedicated circuit setup cheaper than getting a separate connection intended only for VoIP, but it also reduces the workload of your IT staff because they would have to manage only one internet network.

VoIP providers’ well-kept secret

Although a dedicated circuit solves businesses’ call-quality woes, it’s a highly specialized service that only a few providers offer. In fact, many providers wouldn’t offer it upfront because configuring a circuit requires greater effort on their part. However, there are providers who would be happy to customize your VoIP settings without additional charges.

Internet telephony is fast becoming the default choice for business communications because they’re multi-purpose, technologically advanced, and cost-effective. Businesses can’t afford to stick to legacy phone systems if they want to stay competitive. Get in touch with us to explore a vast variety of VoIP options for your company.

The post Better call quality with a dedicated circuit appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..