CallForwardingSignal API Description
- Alberto Ramos Monaga
API Description
The “Call Forwarding Signal” (CFS) API provides the API consumer with information about the status of the Call Forwarding Service on a specific phone number. The main scope of the CFS API is anti-fraud to avoid fraudsters to use the Call Forwarding Service to carry on a scam. Other use cases are anyway supported by the CFS API that also provides additional endpoints to detect the general Call Forwarding Service settings.
The API consumer invokes the CFS API to determine if a specific phone number has an active “call forwarding” setup. “Call forwarding” is a network service that redirects incoming calls to another phone number (configured in the service). The CFS API can be used by a bank to verify if a “call forwarding” option is active on the customer’s phone number to avoid frauds. A call from the bank to the customers can indeed be forwarded to a different number because of a fraud attempt.
Use Cases
Use Case 1: Phone Fraud
The API is useful to avoid fraud. Banks offer the option for users to receive telephone calls to solve problems, e.g. in case of issues with the banking app, issues with smartphones, the bank website or any tool providing access to the online bank account management system.
How does the fraudster operate?
Through social engineering the fraudster gathers information about bank customers who are engaged in such a situation, needing the bank to contact them.
Once they identify the service provider and phone number of a customer they manage to successfully activate, on the customer profile, the “call forwarding” to a phone number they control.
After successfully setting up “call forwarding” the fraudster then contacts the bank, claiming an inability to access online banking services and requesting a call from a bank representative.
When the bank calls the registered contact number of the bank customer, the active “call forwarding” diverts the call directly to the fraudster, thus completing their scheme.
The CFS API can be used by the bank to verify if a “call forwarding” option is active on the customer’s phone, avoiding such a fraud.
A use case in this are is ‘Account Takeover’ protection where CFS API is deployed in tandem with SIM swap to alert banks for possible fraudulent activities.
Use Case 2: Alert Interception
The call forwarding function can be used by fraudsters to prevent victims from receiving timely reminders or voice alerts. Due to fraudsters controlling the victim’s phone and enabling unconditional call forwarding, police or family members cannot contact the right number when trying to reach the victim. The CFS API can help the police to identify whether the number has set up unconditional call forwarding, so as to quickly choose other ways to contact the victim, such as instant messaging software.
Use Case 3: Call Forward Verification
Conditional call forwarding can be used by users to forward calls to enhanced voicemail services or virtual assistant service who can answer the call if the original user is not available to answer, providing a better level of customer service to callers than the standard carrier voicemail.
When users are asked to configure the conditional call forward on their number by tapping a forwarding code, this configuration does not always work and requires users to retry the code or restart their phone and try again. With the CFS API it is possible to programmatically check the service configuration status.
Benefits
The API is useful to avoid fraud, to support voice messaging systems or to support automated call forward service systems to very if the service is properly configured.
API Portfolio: Authentication and Fraud Prevention
SubProject Wiki: Call Forwarding Signal
(incl. how to meet the team)
API Wiki: Call Forwarding Signal
API Repository: Call Forwarding Signal
API Repository Status: Incubating candidate
API Status: Initial
API Version(s) and Release Date(s):
API availability: Information which APIs are available in which country and network, and how to get access can be found on the GSMA public launch status page.