Identifying call characteristics to detect fraudulent call activity and take corrective action without using recording, transcription or caller ID

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computing system, cause the computing system to perform a method to monitor telephone calls to detect fraudulent activity and take corrective action, the method comprising:

• receiving a first telephone call placed to a first published telephone number, wherein the first published telephone number is published via a distribution channel, and wherein a plurality of published telephone numbers that includes the first telephone number has been published via the distribution channel;
• analyzing the first telephone call to identify a first set of distributions of call characteristics associated with the first telephone call;
• assessing a probability that the first telephone call represents normal activity or fraudulent activity, wherein the assessing comprises comparing the first set of distributions of call characteristics to a second set of distributions of call characteristics identified by analyzing a group of telephone calls, and wherein the second set of distributions of call characteristics are indicative of normal activity or fraudulent activity;
• and
• executing a corrective action in response to determining that the probability that the first telephone call represents fraudulent activity exceeds a threshold, wherein the corrective action is executed with respect to the distribution channel such that (a) the first telephone call and (b) a subsequently received second telephone call to a second published telephone number in the plurality of published telephone numbers are subject to the corrective action.