How to use online telephoning safely

Keeping in touch with family and friends around the world has never been easier. Gone are the days of expensive landline charges; now you can punch in the number on an online telephoning service for a fraction of the price - you can even call for free!

These programmes let you talk to people via your computer or mobile device and broadband connection, using a service called Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). 

In fact, according to recent research from the Australian Communications and Media Authority, more than five million Australians are now using a VoIP service.1 But are they really that safe? As it turns out, scammers could be waiting - and eavesdropping - when you use these programmes. With that in mind, here are three tips for using VoIP services safely. 

1. Set a strong password

Hackers use lists of commonly used passwords to crack into accounts, which they then exploit for all kinds of criminal activities. They can make calls with your ID, racking up big charges; loosen the privacy settings, allowing them to call you and extract personal information from you; and even stealing details to reconstruct conversations in order to commit fraud.

Not only that, but they can use other data from your account - like your email address - to breach your defences. 

As with a bundle of activities on the internet, protecting your VoIP account starts with a rock-solid password. Try a mixture of numbers, letters and symbols, and change the combination every couple of months, just to be sure.

2. Block unknown callers

You might think that your private conversations are safe, but hackers can collect unencyrpted VoIP information to send you phishing and scam calls, putting your security at risk. This makes it incredibly important to update the privacy settings on your software.

Not only will this keep your personal profile safe from the prying eyes of cyber criminals, but it can help ensure that you only receive calls and messages from contacts and people you know. If you do receive a message or file transfer from an unknown source, put your detective cap on: It could be a scam, so exercise extreme caution. You never know who - or what - could be lurking in the shadows! If in doubt, block the number from calling again. 

3. Check for patches 

VoIP service providers are at the top of their game when it comes to identifying threats. New software patches are released all the time, to combat the nefarious efforts of cyber criminals. To help keep your information from being misused, it's important to check in regularly and download the updates as required. 

Firewalls are another critical defence to have on your side. Many VoIP services work over peer-to-peer applications, which means they rely on computers being able to directly send information to one another over the internet. Without a firewall, your computer - and account - may be vulnerable to attacks from malicious third parties.

Online telephoning has changed the world of communication, but it's not without risk. If you're concerned about what cyber criminals can glean from your account, our team at Identity Watch can help. The Identity Watch service monitors your information on the internet, keeping a close eye out for your details on forums where information is illegally traded for money. And if we find anything suspicious, we'll let you know straight away.

1 Communications report 2013-2014 series. Report 2 - The Evolution of VoIP in Australia. Australian Communications and Media Authority. June 2015.