[VoiceOps] Can't Figure This Scam Out

[Carlos Alvarez]

Pest control and locksmith services are very ripe for fraud, and in fact
are often sold/advertised in a pretty sleazy way.  Schools are confusing,
unless they're trying to capture something to do with for-pay private
schools.


On Thu, Nov 11, 2021 at 9:35 AM Mark Wiles <mwiles at akabis.com> wrote:

> I’ve been seeing a similar issue in the past week or so with a pest
> control business we provide services for… they’re getting calls that were
> meant to be for other pest control businesses.
>
> It’s starting to look like it’s related to TNs seen in web searches… and
> in call cases, the TNs are not those of the primary business… but a Google
> number (owned by BW).
>
> It seems like maybe Google is having an issue?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* VoiceOps <voiceops-bounces at voiceops.org> *On Behalf Of *LICT
> VoiceOps via VoiceOps
> *Sent:* Thursday, November 11, 2021 11:02 AM
> *To:* VoiceOps <voiceops at voiceops.org>
> *Subject:* [VoiceOps] Can't Figure This Scam Out
>
>
>
> One of our clients is a small private school.
>
>
>
> For the past month, the school has been getting calls meant for other
> schools in the general area (within 20 miles or so)
>
>
>
> We have been able to get limited information from the caller like
> what number did they dial. They are definitely not dialing our client's
> DIDs.
>
>
>
> It seems that they are dialing a number that they found on an internet
> search, and the call is then forwarded to one of the DIDs at the school.
>
>
>
> We are seeing matching CDR records for our PBX and our carrier's CDR
> billing reports, so it does not look like a SIP hack.
>
>
>
> It seems that the number is forwarded for just a few minutes to our
> school, then goes dead, or rings busy, no longer forwarded to our client.
>
>
>
> The pattern here is that the caller obtained the number from an internet
> search of a school in the area. These are real people calling, as we have
> been able to call them back and verify. The callers who reached our client
> are as bewildered as we are.
>
>
>
> I am sure this is some sort of scam -- but I can't figure out what it is.
> Are the scammers recording the lines and seeing if they hear financial
> information? Seems like a longshot, but that is the only thing I can think
> of.
>
>
>
> I know there is little that can be done to prevent a call being forwarded
> to you upstream of the carrier, but would love to hear anyone's thoughts
> about this.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> VoiceOps mailing list
> VoiceOps at voiceops.org
> https://puck.nether.net/mailman/listinfo/voiceops
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://puck.nether.net/pipermail/voiceops/attachments/20211111/83374832/attachment.htm>