The Problem - Robocalls
Robocalls are automated phone calls generated by an auto-dialer and, typically, play a pre-recorded message. Fraudsters and spammers tend to use Robocalls in combination with Caller ID spoofing to mask the actual number they are calling from by replacing it with a number that appears to be originating from a legitimate source such as a business or a locally recognizable number.
What is SHAKEN/STIR?
SHAKEN/STIR is a suite of protocols and procedures intended to combat spoofed Robocalls by using authenticated Caller ID.
SHAKEN (Signature-based Handling of Asserted Information using toKENs) is a specification designed to implement the STIR (Secure Telephony Identity Revisited) protocol, which ensures carrier interoperability to enable end-to-end call authentication. This means that calls will need to be signed with a digital certificate to verify the authenticity of the originating caller.
There are three possible levels of verification (often referred to as attestation):
- A or Full Attestation. Indicates that the provider recognizes the entire phone number as being registered with the originating subscriber.
- B or Partial Attestation. Indicates that the call originated with a known customer, but customer ownership of the number cannot be verified.
- C or Gateway Attestation. Indicates the call can only be verified as coming from a known gateway, for instance, a connection to another service provider.
Impact on Calls
Recipients of a call verified through SHAKEN/STIR may be presented differently, based on the call’s verification level. This varies based on the recipient’s device and service provider.
- Calls that are fully verified (Full Attestation or A) may be accompanied by a “Verified” qualifier and/or a visual qualifier, such as a green check mark in the caller ID.
- Calls that are partially verified (Partial Attestation or B) may be accompanied by a “Unknown caller” or “Spam risk” qualifier in the caller ID.
- Calls that cannot be verified (Gateway Attestation or C) may be accompanied by a “Unknown caller” or “Known spam caller” qualifier in the caller ID.
All purchased Talkdesk numbers associated with a customer’s account are automatically partially verified (B) without requiring any additional action from the customer.
Getting Full Attestation (A)
In order to obtain Full Attestation (A) you will need to submit information about your business as well as nominate one or two representatives. This information must be submitted and will then be verified in order to create a business profile. After verification, all US-based phone numbers in your account will be associated with your business profile. The process usually takes between 24h to 48h and, once completed, will allow all phone calls made from your account’s US-based phone numbers to be signed with full attestation.
To register, you’ll need to collect the necessary information about your business and representatives. Please download the business profile spreadsheet (at the bottom of this page) and submit this information by opening a case with Talkdesk Support. We will take the steps to register the business profile as well as associate the corresponding phone numbers to it.
What happens to calls that don’t have full attestation?
It varies greatly on how the call is presented to the user, based on the device settings, application configurations, and carrier policies. The results vary widely across operators. In some cases, the phone number and/or CallerID Name (CNAM) may be removed, or the call could be re-labeled as "Unknown caller" or "Potential Spam.
How does this impact Verified Caller IDs?
Verified Caller IDs can be used during a phone number porting process, or when a customer has a phone number on a separate carrier that cannot be integrated within Talkdesk.
For the time being, full attestation for Verified Caller IDs is not possible. The highest classification for those calls will be partial attestation (B).