[asterisk-biz] 44-70x Numbers: Block? Evil?

[Steve Kennedy]

On Thu, May 03, 2007 at 11:34:11AM -0400, Peter Beckman wrote:

> This weekend a bunch of people with fraudulent credit cards hit my business
> and set up a bunch of forwarding to +44 70x numbers.  Not having done much
> work in the UK yet, I didn't know what these were until I read this:
>   http://www.joewein.de/sw/419-phone-uk.htm#phone-uk
>   "Most "419" scams using +44 70xx numbers involve emails that are sent
>    from Nigeria and other West African countries, not from the UK! If you
>    see a +44 70xx number in a 419 scam email it usually means you're dealing
>    with criminals based in Nigeria."
> When I tried it in Skype, skype also blocked the 44 70x number.
> Do most ITSPs block +44 70x?  Are there other numbers like this that should
> be blocked?  Is it only ITSPs that block it, where traditional telephony
> companies are simply more than happy to connect your call?  Are ITSPs here
> to provide dial-tone and connectivity regardless of how good or bad the
> call might be?

070 numbers are designated "Personal Numbers", they are premium rate and
governed by ICSTIS rules. Unfortunately they have been picked by
scammers as normally PRS numbers fall in the 09 range and all other 07
ranges are mobile numbers.

It is possible to trace an 070 number (as they're all allocated by
Ofcom) and PRS regulations have been changed so telcos must withold
payment to the operator for 30 days (which should allow time for
complaints to go through and any scams noticed), both the telco and/or
operator can be fined for misuse.

There are valid uses for 070 numbers (there are quite a few follow-me
services behind them as the 070 number range will generate enough
revenue so calls can go to almost any non-PRS range).

Ofcom are moving personal numbers off 070 and all 07 numbers will become
mobile numbers.


Steve

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