Tackling Vishing: The Power of Patents in Detecting and Eliminating Imposter Traffic

With the rise of online data, fraud — and particularly using robocalls to obtain sensitive information, or vishing — has emerged as a significant concern for businesses of all sizes. But just as the criminals are innovating, so are the robocall mitigation fighters.

In this blog, we will explore the top 10 brand protection responses to these threats:

• The nature of vishing, and why it matters
• How innovation matters in fighting vishing
• A better path to robocall mitigation

Vishing, SMSishing, Phishing... Why Should I Care?  

Vishing, or voice phishing, is a form of fraud where scammers impersonate a reputable organization over the phone to extract sensitive information from a consumer.

As a consumer, it might just feel like a nuisance. However, for modern brands, it’s more than that. Vishing is a serious threat to your brand's reputation… and profits.

Consider not just the damage done to your customers … but a data breach to your own company could cost — in the US — an average of $9.4 million dollars.

It’s clear that the cost of ignoring vishing is simply too high.

And AI has complicated things, with recent reports of vishing using AI voice-emulation software to sound incredibly convincing. The criminals are evolving … and rapidly. But the teams that fight fishing are evolving, too, with innovative methods to protect your brand.

Patently, Innovation Matters

In the fight against vishing, innovation is one of the most potent weapons. YouMailPS — the enterprise side of industry-leading consumer spam-fighters YouMail.com — stands at the forefront of this battle, armed with patented technology that sets it apart from other robocall mitigation services.

One indicator of innovation is patents — technologies that are so unique and groundbreaking that they are granted exclusive rights by the government. These patents represent the cutting-edge solutions in the fight against vishing.

From dynamically providing safe phone numbers for responding to inbound communications, to identifying, screening, and blocking calls from problematic telecommunications carriers, patented technologies underscore YouMailPS's commitment to innovation and its relentless pursuit of a safer, more secure communication environment for businesses.

Here are some of the patented innovations that an industry leader, YouMailPS, uses to fight against vishing:

1. System and method for identifying and handling unwanted callers using a call answering system: This patent covers a method of identifying spam (and vishing) by collecting voicemails from a wide variety of recipients, correlating that data, flagging callers as unwanted, and then disposing those calls.
2. System and Method for Identifying Unwanted Communications using Fingerprinting: This highly innovative patent covers a method that identifies callers are wanted or unwanted based on a “fingerprinting” system that allows YouMailPS to recognize callers based on a variety of data points, not just based on one single phone number. (Vishing often uses robocalls, and robocalls often switch their outbound phone numbers so that blocking one phone number offers very little brand protection.)
3. Dynamically Providing Safe Phone Numbers for Responding to Inbound Communications: This patent involves parsing message records from a message server, analyzing the message records for untrustworthy phone numbers, and generating remedy actions based on the determination of the untrustworthy phone numbers. This innovation can help corporations ensure that their communication channels are secure and trustworthy.
4. Identifying, Screening, and Blocking of Calls from Problematic Telecommunications Carriers and Number Blocks: This patent involves a method and systems for identifying communicators as wanted or unwanted. It includes determining communications from phone numbers as being unwanted, identifying telecommunications carriers that acquired the phone numbers, and configuring handling of communications from the phone number based on a score of the given telecommunications carrier.
5. System and Method for Determining Unwanted Call Origination in Communications Networks: This patent covers a method for locating the source of unwanted communication origination in a network. This innovation can help corporations identify the source of unwanted calls.
6. System and Method for Using Public Registry to Enhance Caller Information and Determine Call Handling for Called Parties: This patent describes methods for using a registry to help confirm that the party sending the communication is who they appear to be.
7. System and Method for Facilitating Setup and Joining of Conference Calls: This patent describes a system for safely managing a conference call. This innovation can streamline the process of setting up and joining conference calls, making it easier for corporations to conduct virtual meetings.

These are just a few of YouMailPS’s innovations. Additional innovations include using artificial intelligence and machine language to process billions of data points of voicemails to see when a brand’s name is mentioned improperly; as well as call scoring systems; full-service brand protection products; and innovative solutions for communication service providers (CSPs).

It's clear: when it comes to combating vishing, innovation and patents aren’t just important—they’re essential. By leveraging these technologies, brands can safeguard their reputation and profits.

Robocall Mitigation: A Better Way

Vishing is a significant threat to businesses, but with the right tools and strategies, it can be effectively managed. Innovation plays a crucial role in this battle, with patented technology offering a powerful means of detecting and eliminating imposter traffic. YouMailPS's approach to robocall mitigation, backed by its patented technology, provides businesses with the robust protection they need in today's digital landscape.

Don't let your brand fall victim to vishing. Learn more about how YouMailPS's patented technology and robocall mitigation services can protect your brand. Contact YouMailPS today for a demo.