Telecommunications fraud in Bermuda

Companies have been advised to take steps to protect themselves from fraud on their telephone systems’ voicemail and remote access by ensuring that all employees use pass codes that are secure and changed frequently. (File photo)

HAMILTON, Bermuda, April 23, 2009 – Authorities in Bermuda have discovered that fraudsters have been hacking PBX telecommunications systems across the island to make long-distance phone calls.

Word of the fraud came from the Ministry of Energy, Telecommunications and E-Commerce whose officials recently met with the country’s telecommunications service providers to discuss the situation. 

“We were advised of this when international long distance fraud perpetrators accessed telephone systems in Bermuda and ran up large numbers of long distance minutes by making multiple long distance calls to foreign countries,” said acting Director of Telecommunications Hiram Edwards.

This fraud involves unknown persons or organisations hacking into a customer’s telephone voicemail systems and dialling out to international destinations with the charges accruing to the Bermuda customer’s long distance account. The ministry said the criminal activity is not limited to particular telephone equipment manufacturers, equipment suppliers, or local or long distance service providers.

It said the Bermuda Police have been alerted to this fraudulent activity.

“The Department of Telecommunications advises businesses to examine their long distance telephone bills for unauthorised calls or any unusual call activity to foreign destinations and advise their service providers accordingly,” a government statement said. 

Companies have also been advised to take steps to protect themselves from fraud on their telephone systems’ voicemail and remote access by ensuring that all employees use pass codes that are secure and changed frequently.