Audio 'fingerprints' part of new smart phone defense

'You Mail' app recognizes words in unwanted robocalls

ORLANDO, Fla. – Robocalls with similar words and phrases, are now red-flagged and blocked by a new “fingerprinting” audio recognition system introduced by YouMail.

YouMail CEO Alex Quilici told News 6 not only does the app recognize when a phone number is from an unwanted robocaller, but it can also identify exactly what type of call is being made.

“It allows us to find bad numbers quickly. The first time a new number leaves a message, we can track it down,” he said.

YouMail has blocked more than 1 billion unwanted calls directing the calls to “out of service” greetings.

Quilici said an analysis of calls made to people in January showed that nearly 75% were neither “expected or wanted by consumers.”

Quilici told News 6 there are four common categories for robocalls:

Payment reminders/debt collectors (33%); telemarketing(15%); alerts or reminders (27%); and obvious scams (25%).

The system doesn’t block important calls from a pharmacy, school or physician’s office.

The obvious “undesirable” scams usually include some sort of financial play on personal information, including credit card and Social Security numbers.

YouMail targets specific themes, including credit card, cruise and IRS scams.

In 2013, a similar fingerprinting system now called “Phoneprinting” technology was introduced by Pindrop Security with similar intended results.

According to the company’s website, “multi-factor solutions use every facet of a call — audio, voice, and metadata — to provide risk scores and unique prints using Deep Voice™ biometrics along with Phoneprinting™ and Toneprinting™ technologies.”

While YouMail includes the patent-pending technology for personal phones, Pindrop offers the service for “premiere” call centers.

“They focused on location and used a limited audio signature," Quilici said. “We focus on the content of the message and leverage the transcription of the message. The technologies are

complementary.”

YouMail has also introduced a system for Android phones that only allows calls that are on your contact list.

The “Whitelisting” is only available for Android because, according to Quilici, the iPhone robocall blocking systems are “more complicated.”

For more information on YouMail go to YouMail.com. 

Other similar services include Nomorobo, Join Me, eVoice and UberConference.


About the Author:

News 6’s Emmy Award-winning Investigative Reporter Mike Holfeld has made Central Florida history with major investigations that have led to new policies, legislative proposals and even -- state and national laws. If you have an issue or story idea, call Mike's office at 407-521-1322.

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