Fraud detection in a distributed telecommunications networks

An apparatus for detecting a fraud event in a distributed telecommunications network comprising at least two different functional groups of elements, at least two of the functional groups having respectively different characteristics, the apparatus comprising an analyzer unit capable of analyzing records data related to at least one telecommunications session and originating from at least two elements each belonging to a respective one of said at least two different functional groups, to determine whether there is a lack of consistency between the records data parts respectively associated with said at least two different functional groups and relating to the same at least one telecommunications session, and capable of indicating the fraud event whenever the lack of consistency is determined.

A system for detecting a fraud event in a distributed telecommunications network, wherein the distributed network enables performance of at least two functions selected from a list comprising:

• an access function, a transport function, an application function, a management function and a security function by different respective functional groups of elements, at least two of the different functional groups having respectively different characteristics,
• and the at least two different functional groups each comprising at least one element capable of performing operations related to at least the function of said particular functional group and operative to create records on said operations, said system comprising:
• a fraud detection apparatus capable of analyzing records data related to at least one telecommunications session and originating from at least two of the elements each belonging to a respective one of said at least two different functional groups to determine whether there is a lack of consistency between the records data parts respectively obtained from said at least two different functional groups and wherein the records data parts relate to the same at least one telecommunications session, and concluding that there is a fraud event if the lack of consistency is determined.

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps, for detecting a fraud event in a distributed telecommunications network, wherein said steps being:

• analyzing records data related to at least one telecommunications session and originating from at least two elements each belonging to a respective one of at least two different functional groups having respectively different characteristics to determine whether there is a lack of consistency between the records data parts respectively associated with said at least two functional groups and wherein the records data parts relate to the same at least one telecommunications session, and
• if the lack of consistency is determined, concluding that there is a fraud event.

A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for detecting a fraud event in a distributed telecommunications network, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable program code for causing the computer to analyze records data related to at least one telecommunications session and originating from at least two elements each belonging to a respective one of at least two different functional groups having respectively different characteristics, to determine whether there is a lack of consistency between the records data parts respectively associated with said at least two different functional groups and wherein the records data parts relate to the same at least one telecommunications session, and
• a computer readable program code for causing the computer, if the lack of consistency is determined, to conclude that there is a fraud event.