Patent ID: 6307926
Filing Date: 2001-10-23
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
In a telecommunications network, a method for determining whether to block an attempted call from being connected to a dialed number due to a likelihood that the attempted call is fraudulent, said attempted call being defined by information carried in a data message provided by a querying system, said method comprising, in combination:receiving said data message into a computer system, said computer system including a database holding a plurality of fraud decision nodes cooperatively defining fraud screening trees each having a starting node, a first subset of said fraud decision nodes cooperatively defining a first fraud screening tree;applying said first fraud screening tree to said attempted call based on said information carried in said data message, said first fraud screening tree producing a determination of whether or not to block said attempted call due to a likelihood that the attempted call is fraudulent; andbefore said attempted call is connected to said dialed number, returning to said querying system a response data message indicative of said determination,whereby, if said determination is to block said attempted call, said attempted call is not connected to said dialed number.