Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Security or fraud prevention
Reexamination Certificate
1996-05-30
2001-02-06
Cumming, William (Department: 2749)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Security or fraud prevention
C455S411000, C455S560000, C379S114030, C379S115030, C379S189000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185416
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to radio frequency (RF) communication systems, and in particular, to a method and apparatus for fraud control in cellular modible radiotelephone (CMR) and personal communications services (PCS) systems.
2. Description of Related Art
Cellular telephones combine the mobility of the radio link and the world-wide land telephone network to provide a communication link to any other telephone in the world. However, as cellular phones have become more prevalent throughout the country, fraud has become a major problem. Cellular fraud robs service providers of hundreds of millions of dollars every year. Like all crimes, there are several varieties of cellular fraud, including “cloning.”
Cloning fraud, which occurs when a legitimate subscriber's MIN/ESN combination is used for illegal purposes, is among the most sophisticated and difficult forms of fraud to prevent. Often, the pirate will use simple electronic devices to “capture” the legitimate MIN/ESN combination during its transmission by radio frequency (RF). In these cases, the legitimate subscriber often does not know fraud is being committed with his or her MIN/ESN combination until they receive the bill. This is currently the most popular method of gaining illegal access to a cellular system, because the legitimacy of the stolen MIN/ESN combinations makes cloning difficult to catch.
There are certain steps that can be taken to prevent cloning fraud. In some instances, carriers block calls to certain destinations, or impose “brownouts” on calls using specified MIN codes, particularly on international calls, that have been previously abused. Although drastic, this method currently is often the only way to stop cloning fraud.
The eventual release of digital cellular phones into the mass market will provide another avenue for fraud. Digital phones will also be susceptible to new and improved criminal techniques for stealing MIN/ESN combinations. Thus, carriers are forced to seek other methods of detecting and preventing fraudulent calls.
Several companies, including Electronic Data Systems (EDS) and Subscriber Computing, Inc. (SCI) have developed anti-cloning products that analyze calling patterns using call records. For example, EDS' PCC Cloning Detection System and SCI's Fraud Watch System are designed to be interfaced with cellular switches, so that call information can be collected after the calls have been completed. These systems can be used to identify calling patterns in the collected information that indicate fraudulent usage.
These systems typically allow operators to specify certain criteria to identify fraud. These criteria may include number of calls per hour, call durations, number of minutes used by a specific phone within an hour, number of international or toll calls per hour, and calls to specific countries or NPA/NXXX codes. Operator can also identify fraudulent usage by the specific number dialed for those numbers that have been previously identified as a number called by fraudulent callers. The call records of cellular phones meeting any number of criteria can be viewed online or printed.
Although they cannot prevent cloning fraud, such systems provide carriers with a method of identifying cloning fraud, so that losses can be tabulated. Unfortunately, current methods can only detect or monitor fraud after the caller hangs up, and provide no way to stop fraud. Thus, there is a need in the art for techniques that enhance the use of analyzed call patterns to deny pirates the use of cellular telephone systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To overcome the limitations in the prior art described above, and to overcome other limitations that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the present invention discloses a method and apparatus for fraud control in RF communications systems, and cellular telephone systems in particular. Call records are scanned to identify a fraudulent cellular phone based on its behavior. An identifier, for example, an RF signature, representative of the fraudulent cellular phone is stored in fraud control equipment located at a cell site. A database of identifiers may comprise a positive validation database storing the identifiers for all valid cellular phones used in the cellular telephone system, or it may be a negative validation database storing the identifiers for known fraudulent cellular phones. A control channel editor intercepts a call origination request transmitted from a cellular phone to the cell site, and compares one or more characteristics of the cellular phone transmitting the call origination request to the database of identifiers. The control channel editor then prevents the completion of the phone call when the comparison indicates that the cellular phone is fraudulent. The call origination request can be prevented from completing by (1) re-routing the call to a customer service or “fraud hot line” number, (2) interrupting the call origination request, (3) transmitting a “hang-up” message to the phone, (4) transmitting a “hang-up” message to the cell site, or (5) transmitting a “tear-down” message to a switch.
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paten
Daniels David Leighton
Rudokas Ronald Steven
Storch John Adam
Cellco Partnership
Cumming William
Gates & Cooper
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