CAN VOIP STOP GHOST CALLS FROM HAUNTING YOU?

Are ghost calls haunting you or your business? Are you sick of random phantom calls? Find out how to use your VoIP to exorcise the enemy.

WHAT ARE GHOST CALLS?

Ghost calls or phantom calls are a common annoyance. If you have even answered the phone only to hear dead silence on the other end — no voice answering or no message left — then you have experienced a ghost call.

Ghost calls are typically the result of port scanning conducted by automated device discovery software, making it difficult or impossible to pinpoint the source. These calls often occur at inconvenient times — like the middle of the night or during an important meeting — and are frustrating since they are out of our control and time-consuming.

HOW AND WHY

Ghost or phantom calls rarely originate from a service provider. Automated, random port scans are used to detect vulnerabilities in phone systems. Vulnerable phone systems can end up being billed for calls they did not make, while the actual hacker remains unidentified and not billed.

Hackers will use well-known port scanners to test for vulnerabilities they can break through and retrieve passwords and clone your phone system. Ghost calls, often the result of auto-dialers that are used by telemarketers and bill collectors, do have FCC-imposed restrictions on how long auto-dialed calls are permitted to ring.

STOP THE HAUNTING

The good news is that if your business is using a VoIP phone system, there are techniques you can use to stop these annoying calls. Use port scanners that can auto-dialers to your advantage. Since they are repetitive, you can often use router settings to block port scans via firewalls. And, most business routers support SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) traffic blocking.

Changing the SIP port on your VoIP system can also help since SIP traffic is used to make ghost calls. But, note that this is only a temporary solution since scanners will eventually find a new port.

VoIP phone systems offer many built-in security measures, which can address a range of security concerns, including auto-dialers, port scanners, and ghost calls. Contact us today to ensure your phone systems are protected.