Broadband ISP BT (EE) has this morning announced that their new scam protection service, which is based on Hiya’s technology and was introduced to their IP-based Digital Voice (phone) customers in May 2024, has blocked more than 2.4 million scam calls and almost 17.7 million spam calls since its introduction.
The ‘Enhanced Call Protect‘ feature, which is a free service, follows BT and EE’s decision to start adopting Hiya’s AI-based voice security solutions in January 2023 (here). The tool in question monitors incoming calls and will notify the user of any suspected spam calls. But it also adopts machine learning to improve its scam detection and protection to help tackle the malicious calls it encounters – in one day blocking more than 46,500 scam calls.
According to data from Hiya, UK residents received an average of 3 spam calls per month from January to June this year, with 28% of all unknown calls flagged as spam. This equates to approximately 195 million spam calls per month.
However, with BT’s service, customers will see a visual warning on their landline phone display, saying, “Nuisance?”, when receiving a potential spam call. They then have a choice to reject or accept an inbound call that is flagged as a spam call. Scam calls are automatically diverted to a customer’s junk voicemail, protecting them from the threat of scammers. Any call from a registered business will have their name displayed to verify it as genuine.
Lucy Baker MBE, BT Consumer’s All-IP Director, said:
“Our top priority is ensuring our customers feel secure and confident when using our services. This new Hiya technology is now integrated with Digital Voice and is proving to be incredibly effective at stopping scam calls. We remain committed to protecting customers during the switch to digital landlines.”
BT has also included some tips to help consumers spot and tackle scam calls.
Tips to avoid scams include:
If you receive a suspicious call, put the phone down and call back on a trusted number to verify the call
If you mistakenly give a caller your bank account details, contact your bank immediately
If you receive a suspicious call, report the call to BT here
Block any suspicious numbers after you have reported them
Remember:
Take a moment to stop and think. Trust your instincts. If it sounds too good to be true or is suspicious, there’s probably a catch
Don’t stay on the phone unless you’re 100% sure the caller is genuine
Don’t give away any of your personal details or give anyone access to your computer