Toll fraud occurs when unauthorized persons gain access to a telephone and/or voicemail system and generate long distance calls. These calls can be to domestic locations, but are typically international. Since the customer has control over the mechanism by which toll fraud occurs, it is important to understand your phone system and what you can do to help prevent toll fraud from occurring.
This Toll Fraud policy defines toll fraud and specifies actions the Customer and Allstream Business Inc. and/or Allstream Business US, LLC. through its subsidiaries (“Allstream”). will take to address such fraud.
Toll Fraud
Toll Fraud is the theft of long distance service (“Toll Fraud”). It typically occurs when a party gains remote access to the Customer’s PBX or key system located at the Customer’s premise. Toll Fraud may also occur through unauthorized use of the Customer’s calling cards.
Compliance
Customers should immediately notify Allstream of suspected Toll Fraud by calling Allstream Customer Care Center. Be prepared to identify the means by which the fraud occurred, if known, and any modifications made to Customer Premise Equipment (“CPE”) in an attempt to stop the Toll Fraud. Upon notice, Allstream will investigate any suspected Toll Fraud, and may block, suspend, or otherwise limit the ability of the Service to prevent continued Toll Fraud. Customer agrees to cooperate with Allstream in the investigation, including the reporting of such incidents to the appropriate field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Customer agrees to provide Allstream with such information and documentation as Allstream may request, including any reports, testimony or affidavits submitted to law enforcement.
Liability
Allstream is dedicated to leading the industry in providing quality, user-friendly network services and CPE. As part of that commitment, Allstream respects the right of its customers to choose Allstream Services and equipment that meet particular Customer needs, so long as the use is lawful and does not violate Allstream’s policies and procedures. The freedom of the Customer to choose among Allstream’s diverse service applications and the Customer’s exclusive control of CPE means that the Customer, and not Allstream, is capable of addressing and preventing Toll Fraud. IT IS THE EXCLUSIVE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CUSTOMER TO PREVENT THE OCCURRENCE OF FRAUD, and Customer is responsible for payment of any charges incurred due to fraud (including Toll Fraud), abuse, or misuse of the Services, whether known or unknown to Customer, and whether or not Allstream takes any actions to stop or block Toll Fraud.
IT IS THE EXCLUSIVE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CUSTOMER TO PREVENT THE OCCURRENCE OF TOLL FRAUD, and the customer is responsible for payment of any charges incurred due to fraud, abuse or misuse of the services, whether known or unknown, to the customer.
Allstream conducts network monitoring on a 7×24 basis for its own internal efficiency and productivity needs. If during the course of that monitoring suspect traffic patterns are detected that may indicate Toll Fraud, Allstream will take commercially reasonable steps to mitigate the impact.
Immediately notify Allstream of suspected Toll Fraud by contacting our Customer Care Center at UScustomerservice@allstream.com or 1-866-468-3472. Allstream has adopted a standard practice to block outbound calling to countries associated with high incidences of toll fraud. That list of countries, and more information about international calling options, is available at https://support.allstream.com/knowledge-base/international-calling-options/.