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?
This is a case of reading too much into the information. It is quite correct
that most 419 scams, with +44 70 numbers are from West Africa, but that
doesnt mean that all +44 70 are 419 scams!
It is probably true to say that there is a higher percentage of fraudsters
on this range than other +44 ranges, but fraud occurs on all number types,
and blocking these numbers 'just because' doesnt really make sense.
What you do find though, is that some international carriers won't include
them in their price plans as the (international -> UK) termination cost is a
bit higher than that of UK Mobile(cell) calls, but share a similar number.
This is the most likely reason that Skype doesnt carry them (i.e. their
carrier doesnt), than any moral judgement on their part.
If you want suggestions for a 'tough' anti-fraud policy, then only sign up
customers you know have a verifiable landline (and not mobile phone, or
other) number type.
Linus
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