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Phone Fraud also known as “Telecommunications Fraud” or “Toll Fraud” occurs whenever an unauthorized user gains access to and/or places fraudulent charges to your telephone system. It can take many forms from unwanted collect calls to voicemail hacking. Whatever method a fraudster may use, your business’s best defence is knowledge.

Monitor Remote Access and Administration

Remote Access allows an inbound caller to access your business’s phone system and make outbound calls through it by using an access code. This is one of the most common modes of illegal entry into a phone system. To limit the risk to your business, use passwords and authorization codes to access these features. If your business does not use these features, contact your system administrator or provider to ensure that these features are turned off.

Use Strong Passwords and Authorization Codes

Your phone system’s security is only as strong as the passwords used to access it. Follow these tips to make sure your passwords and authorization codes are not easily guessed:

• NEVER USE DEFAULT PASSWORDS
• Use the pound sign (#) and asterisk (*) in your password if your system allows it.
• Use passwords that are at least 7 characters long. For maximum protection, you should use the maximum number of characters that your system allows.
• Do not use predictable patterns such as repeating characters (55555) or ascending or descending characters (54321).
• Do not use your extension number (or it’s reverse), your office number, or any other information that identifies a system owner or user (such as an employee number or social insurance number).
• Do not write down your password or store it on your hard drive or network. If a record is kept, it should stored in a secure location.

Frequently Change Passwords and Authorization Codes

It is a good idea to change your passwords and authorization codes at least four times a year. It’s also recommended that you change access/authorization codes whenever an employee (such as a network technician) leaves the company.

Control Long Distance Calling

• Prohibit or restrict calls to countries you do not do business with
• Prohibit or restrict calls to the Caribbean, a favourite call destination for fraudsters
• Restrict the ability to make international calls to only those employees who need to
• Restrict the time of day that calls can be made, such as at night or on weekends
• Restrict toll-free access from areas known a phone fraud centres.

Restrict Automated Attendant Access

Automated attendants are another common entry point for unauthorized third parties. When the automated attendant “picks up,” fraudsters can dial 91XX or 9011. On many phone systems (if the
dial-out feature is active), this extension connects the caller to an outside long distance line. The best defence is to block 9XXX or 8XXX access codes and/or require an additional authorization code.

Monitor Your System

Closely monitoring your phone system will help you to catch suspicious activity early. Watch for unusual patterns or usage spikes in your PBX, voicemail, automated attendant, and toll-free systems. These may be indicators that someone is attempting to gain access to your phone system.

Please take the precautions listed above. Ultimately, any unauthorized calls made to or from your phone system equipment — whether by someone in your company or by a third party — are your responsibility. It is essential that you take steps to protect your business from phone fraud.

IMPORTANT 9-1-1 INFORMATION

Wightman would like to ensure that you are aware of important differences in the way 911 service operates with a VoIP phone when compared with traditional telephone service.

Differences between traditional 911 services and VoIP phone 911

With traditional phone services, your 911 call is sent directly to the nearest emergency response centre. With VoIP phone service, your 911 call is forwarded to a third-party service provider that will automatically or manually route your call to the emergency response centre.

Remember to verify your location

Because you can move your VoIP phone between locations and because, for technical reasons, the emergency operator may not have your name, location or contact information available, you must immediately inform the emergency operator of your location and contact particulars any time you call 911. Do not risk sending police or ambulance services to the wrong location.

Be prepared during any service interruption

VoIP phone service depends not only on your continued subscription (and payment) for the service, but also on Internet connectivity and power to function. In the event of power, network, or Internet outages (including congestion), or if your service is disconnected or suspended due to non-payment, you may experience a failure, disruption or delay in your 911 service.

Do not disconnect

Until you are told to do so by an emergency dispatcher, do not disconnect your 911 call. If you are inadvertently disconnected, call back immediately.

Keep your service address up-to-date

Wightman will attempt to provide the emergency operator with your service address, so please ensure that your information on file with us is always accurate and updated. If you do not do this (for example, if you are unable to speak during a 911 call), the emergency operator may assume that you are calling from the last registered address.

Inform other users

You must notify members of your household and other potential users of your VoIP phone service of the nature and limitations of 911 emergency calls. To make this easier, attach the included stickers in a visible location on your telephone sets.

Limitations of Liability

Wightman’s terms of service limit and disclaim liability related to VoIP 9-1-1 service, so please read these carefully.  For a complete description of our VoIP 9-1-1 service, please see Wightman’s Terms of Service (for services forborne from regulation).

What Does It Do?

Wightman ONE is a feature that allows you to be easily contacted at any location. Calls can be programmed to ring at several numbers (such as your mobile, home phone, or office extension), or to ring simultaneously at each location. You are no longer limited to forwarding calls to one number; you can program calls to ring at many locations and you have the flexibility of setting and removing the programming yourself.

How Do I Use It?

To access programming for Wightman ONE:

• Go to the Wightman website, ‘Wightman.ca’
• Click ‘My Account’, then ‘Voicemail’.
• Enter your 10 digit phone number and the temporary password that Wightman provided you. To change your password, go to ‘Settings’ and enter any combination of 4 to 15 characters not beginning with 0).
• Click ‘Call Manager’, then ‘Follow Me’. Activate the feature by selecting the check box that says ‘Forward Calls…’

To Enable/Disable Wightman ONE from your telephone handset:

• To enable, press *333.
• To disable, press *334.

What Does It Do?

Voicemail to Email is an included part of Wightman’s Call Answer feature. Voicemail to Email sends a copy of any voice messages you receive to your email address in the form of an audio file.

How Do I Use It?

To automatically send your Call Answer voice messages to your email inbox:

• Go the the Wightman website ‘Wightman.ca’
• Click on ‘My Account’, then ‘Voicemail’.
• Enter your 10 digit telephone number and the temporary password that Wightman provided you.
• Click the Settings tab, then Messages, then General. Click ‘add an email address’ and enter your email address.
• To activate this feature, select the check box to the right of ‘Forward messages and faxes as emails’.
• Select Apply to save your changes.

What Does It Do?

Toll Restriction allows you to block outgoing calls to certain types of numbers from your line. These types of calls include:

• International calls
• Long distance calls
• Local calls
• Operator calls
• Calls to any call service access codes
• Certain types of calls are never blocked. These types of calls include:
• Toll-free calls
• Emergency calls
• To order this feature, please contact us at 1-888-477-2177. You will be provided with a PIN number.

How Do I Use It?

To make a restricted call:

• Dial the number you want to call and wait for three beeps.
• Enter your PIN.
• The call will be completed as normal.
• To change your PIN, call one of our Customer Care Representatives.

What Does It Do?

Reminder Call allows you to schedule calls at a set time of day. An announcement is played when you answer. If the call is not answered, Reminder Call will try again.

How Do I Use It?

To Activate an Individual Reminder Call:

• Pick up your phone and dial *310.
• An announcement will prompt you to dial the desired time, in 24 hour clock format, followed by #.
• An announcement will confirm that the reminder has been set, with the option to cancel at this point if desired.
• To Disable all Individual Reminder Calls:
• Pick up your phone and dial *311.
• To Disable one Individual Reminder Call:
• Pick up your phone and dial *312.
• To Check Individual Reminder Calls:
• Pick up your phone and dial *313.

To Activate a Regular Reminder Call:

• Pick up your phone and dial *314.
• An announcement will prompt you to dial the desired time, in 24 hour clock format, followed by *.
• An announcement will prompt you to dial the repeat option code *314, followed by #.
• The options are every Monday (1), Tuesday (2), Wednesday (3), Thursday (4), Friday (5), Saturday (6), Sunday (7), every weekday (8), every day (9).
• An announcement will confirm that the reminder has been set, with the option to cancel at this point, if desired.

To Disable all Regular Reminder Calls:

• Pick up your phone and dial *315.

To Disable one Regular Reminder Call:

• Pick up your phone and dial *316.

To Check Regular Reminder Calls:

• Pick up your phone and dial *317.

Regular reminders conflict if they are set for the same time and their repeat options have a day in common. It is not possible to configure conflicting regular reminders.

What Does It Do?

Priority Call allows you to select a list of numbers from which incoming telephone calls will ring with a distinctive tone. This service also gives distinctive tones on Call Waiting for numbers selected for Priority Call.

How Do I Use It?

To setup your list of Priority Callers:

• Pick up your phone and dial *61.
• Follow prompts.

What Does It Do?

PIN change remotely allows you to change your personal identification number (PIN) used to access Call Forwarding or Toll Restriction. A PIN is provided to new subscribers by Wightman. It can be changed to any four-digit number.

How Do I Use It?

To Activate:

• Pick up your phone and dial *319.
• When prompted, enter your current PIN.
• If the current PIN is correct, you are prompted to enter a new four-digit PIN.
• An announcement confirms the new four-digit PIN.