A system and method are disclosed that leverage multi-factor authentication features of a service provider and intelligent call routing to increase security and efficiency at a customer call center. Pre-authentication of customer support requests reduces the potential for misappropriation of sensitive customer data during call handling. A contactless card uniquely associated with a client may provide a second factor of authentication via a backchannel to reduce the potential for malicious third-party impersonation of the client prior to transfer of the call to the customer call center. Pre-authorized customer support calls may be intelligently and efficiently routed directly to call center agents, without incurring further delay. During call handling, call center agents may initiate further client authentication processes, including contactless card authentication requests, over one or more different communication channels for authorizing access to sensitive information or to allay suspicion.

A method of obtaining and automatically providing secure authentication information includes registering a client device over a data line, storing information and a changeable value for authentication in subsequent telephone-only transactions. In the subsequent transactions, a telephone call placed from the client device to an interactive voice response server is intercepted and modified to include dialing of a delay and at least a passcode, the passcode being based on the unique information and the changeable value, where the changeable value is updated for every call session. The interactive voice response server forwards the passcode and a client device identifier to an authentication function, which compares the received passcode to plural passcodes generated based on information and iterations of a value stored in correspondence with the client device identifier. Authentication is confirmed when a generated passcode matches the passcode from the client device.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method of receiving, by a processing system including a processor, a call for a subscriber; determining, by the processing system, that the call is from an interactive voice response (IVR) system; determining whether the IVR system is providing a query that requires a response; and responsive to a first determination that the IVR system requires the response, providing the response. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Methods and systems route requests for service in a call center. A non-transitory computer-readable medium stores data representative of a queue of customers waiting to be serviced. A processor queues a request for service initiated by a customer. Data output is sent to the customer to ascertain the customer's cause for the request via a data communication channel. Data input is received from the customer via the data communication channel. The data input indicates the customer's cause for the request. An agent is identified from a plurality of agents suitable to address the customer's cause for the request. The customer's position is adjusted in the queue based on the identified agent. A routing instruction is determined about routing the request to the identified agent.

A system and method for automatically verifying a telephone number proffered by a user of an application. During registration or installation of the application, client software is installed on the user's mobile device (e.g., a smart phone, a tablet computer). One of a pool of telephone numbers for outgoing calls is selected, and a call is initiated to the proffered number by the system. The software executing on the user's device detects the incoming call, extracts caller identification data (i.e., the originating telephone number), formats a data communication (e.g., an http request) to include the data, and sends it to the system. The system receives the data communication and compares the data with the originating number. If they match, the user's telephone number is verified. The outgoing call from the system may be canceled before it rings at the device if the data communication is received in time.

An indication of a call from a first device to a second device is received. The indication includes making the call by a first user using the first device to a second user using the second device. User preferences of the second user receiving the call using the second device is determined. A mode based on the user preferences of the second user is determined. Responsive to determining the mode, a question to transmit to the first device is determined. The question is transmitted to the first device. A response to the question from the first device is received. Responsive to receiving a response to the question from the first device, an action the second device will take is determined based on the received response from the first device.

Methods and apparatus to audibly provide messages an electronic device are described. An example method includes receiving a message at the electronic device, determining that the message includes a predetermined phrase, and in response to determining that the message includes the predetermined phrase, audibly presenting, at the electronic device, an alert that requests an audio input.

Systems and methods for authenticating a user using an interactive voice response application. The method includes receiving data representing a spoken voice utterance corresponding to a user of an interactive voice response application. The method further includes processing the data representing the spoken voice utterance based on a length and a quality of the spoken voice utterance. The method also includes comparing the processed data representing the spoken voice utterance and a voiceprint associated with the user. The method further includes generating a security token in response to determining that the processed data representing the spoken voice utterance substantially matches the voiceprint associated with the user. The method also includes receiving the security token from the interactive voice application and validating the security token corresponding to the user in response to determining that the security token matches a security token generated by a server computing device.

A system and method for multilingual authentication access to a communication system in a controlled environment is disclosed. The system includes a communication subsystem that connects a communication between a first communication device and a second communication device, wherein one of the first communication device or the second communication device is used by the inmate of the correctional system. The system also includes a profile subsystem configured to determine profile information of a party associated with the first communication device. The system further includes an authentication subsystem that provides one or more challenge questions to the first communication device based on the profile information, receives at least one response to the one or more challenge questions from the first communication device, and authorizes connection of the communication between the first communication device and the second communication device based on the at least one response.

A method for permitting unfamiliar call, applied to a communication device having a memory and a call-blocking app to provide an unfamiliar call, includes the steps of: configuring an area in the memory of the communication device as a storage unit; recording at least one password into a password-correlated table in the storage unit, each of the at least one password being related to a specific user of the communication device; as an unfamiliar call is received, asking a caller of the unfamiliar call to provide an answer for a trivial question immediately provided by the communication device; determining whether or not the answer matches any of the at least one password in the password-correlated table; forwarding the unfamiliar call to the user corresponding to the matched password listed in the password-correlated table if positive; and, blocking the unfamiliar call if negative.