Phone hacking is on the rise costing millions to UK businesses

An interview on BBC Radio 4 explored the growing trend of criminals hacking phone systems and the effect it is having on a large number of business in the UK.

Phone hacking is a type of fraud which is costing businesses millions of pounds; the police are calling it “dial through fraud”. Criminals hack into phone systems and then steal money by either selling the phone lines to other people to make calls or by making repeated calls to premium rate phone lines overseas.

Radio 4 has learnt that in March 2013, 40 UK businesses in March have reported this kind of fraud to the police. Phone hacking has cost UK businesses over £1.2 billion last year and is estimated to have affected 40% of companies already.

One victim reports that criminals had hacked into their system and re-routed calls to another number, which was then sold using telephone cards purchased on the street. Over 2,400 calls were made to Cuba over one weekend costing him thousands of pounds.

To help explain this issue further, ITSPA (The Internet Service Providers Association) have create this video. It explains the types of hacking that frequently occur, why they happen, and what can be done about them.

The telecoms regulator, Ofcom has advised companies to take steps to make their lines secure and is currently working with trading associations asking them to update their advice to businesses about protecting their phone lines.

This form of hacking is advancing all the time and research shows that most businesses will not be aware they have fallen victim to fraudulent activity until they receive their monthly phone bill.

Here at 4Com we put customers at the very heart of our organisation and are leading the way in proactively finding solutions for our customers.  We closely monitor phone lines to ensure any suspicious activity is reported quickly. We also provide Anti-Hack Insurance to protect against any losses experienced by this type of fraud. This gives you peace of mind that your business if fully protected against hackers and from any unforeseen bills which could potentially run into the thousands of pounds.