Whether you are young or elderly, we are all at risk of telephone fraud and scamming. Just recently, an incident touched base a little to close to home.
Just recently, I came up with a possible idea and thought on how to stop or at least help squash such incidents from happening around the world. Let me explain as perhaps something like this already exists that is a product or service like implementation – not just the Anti-Fraud Call Center.
The idea is a software and possibly a hardware implementation with three main core pieces.
This service would be an open database in which anyone can submit phone numbers and even leave comments towards a particular number. Numbers would be immediately added the number watch list for fraud and other scamming schemes. This is the easy part and many do such things already. However, this service must be able to implement a number look-up API allowing others create services or apps around it.
The mobile application portion would be a simple application for smart phones like the iPhone, BlackBerry and Android. The app would simply perform a look-up once a call comes in that is not within the contact list of the user. If the number is found within the database, the user receiving the phone call would be prompted with a screen. Like all other incoming calls, this screen would however implement a warning message letting him or her know that the incoming call number is on a fraud watch list. By doing this, the user would have the information to make an informed decision about answering the call.
And for the tricky part. I am not an expert in telecommunications and or electronic engineering – actually I am very much the opposite. However, a hardware device similar to a call display could be created which is also at the same time connected to the internet. Once there is an incoming call, the call display would simply perform the same type of looking up as the mobile application allowing the individual who is receiving the call to make an informed decision about the incoming call.
Though this idea is very small and not written in a lot of detail, I do believe it to be a possible powerful one. And with this, there are many different routes that can be taken such as partnering with actual telephone manufactures that create land line based phones to implement the technology themselves.
Just recently, there is a new Non-Profit Organization here in London called unLondon. Possibly this type of project would be great for the members and their unLab.
