A system is provided for thwarting the undesired incoming calls and eliminating the impact of robocalls, tollfree pumping, political spam, data collection bots, and other phone fraud forms. The system has a spam detection unit with a plurality of spam type modules and each spam type module is configured to detect a different type of spam.

A call challenger can receive a user input from a called party identity to opt-in to a call challenge service, and a second user input of a keyword. When the call challenger receives a call directed to a user equipment of the called party identity, the call challenger can prompt the calling party to provide an audible response. In response to a receipt of the audible response, the call challenger can convert the audible response to a text. The call challenger can compare the text with the keyword to determine if there is a sufficient match. In response to the determining the output of the comparing does not satisfy a threshold match score, the call challenger can prevent the call from connecting with the user equipment.

Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing automated robocall detection. In various embodiments, a computing system may compare first abstracted raw data, obtained from a portion of call data from a first call from a first originating party, with each of a plurality of abstracted raw data, obtained from portions of call data from a plurality of calls from a corresponding plurality of originating parties. In some instances, the plurality of abstracted raw data and the first abstracted raw data may each include at least one of word count data, phoneme count data, inter-word timing data, voice pitch estimation data, and/or background noise data. The computing system may determine whether the first abstracted raw data is indicative of the first call being a suspected unsolicited or unwanted communication, based at least in part on the comparison. If so, the computing system may perform one or more tasks.

A system may include a processor that may execute computer-executable instructions that cause the processor to receive caller information regarding an incoming communication from a caller and receive a request from a user to route the incoming communication to a virtual assistant application. The virtual assistant application is configured to interact with the caller and determine whether the caller is associated a fraudulent caller activity stored on databases accessible by the processor. The processor may then receive an indication from the virtual assistant application that the caller is associated with the fraudulent caller activity and forward the incoming communication to another party in response to receiving the indication.

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for communications network security for handling proxy voice calls that employ a voicebot. According to one aspect disclosed herein, a call handling system can intercept, from a communications network, a call request that is directed to a called target device. The call handling system can determine that the call request was generated by a voicebot on behalf of a user equipment. The call handling system can suspend the call request from being routed to the called target device. The call handling system can generate a voicebot confirmation request that identifies the voicebot and the user equipment. The call handling system can provide the voicebot confirmation request to the called target. The call request can be suspended while the voicebot confirmation request is provided to the called target device.

Systems and processes for integrating a digital assistant with telephony are provided. For example, an incoming call may be received, from a caller, at an electronic device. A communication session may be established between the caller and the digital assistant of the electronic device. In accordance with a determination that the identification of the caller is unknown, determination is made whether the caller corresponds to an automated calling system. In accordance with a determination that the identification of the caller is known, a response is provided by the digital assistant to the caller. An output including information corresponding to the communication is provided at the electronic device.

The present invention relates to communications methods and apparatus for determining whether a received call originated from an artificial intelligence system and the call handling procedures to be used on the received call based on whether or not the call was determined to have been originated from an artificial intelligence system. An exemplary method embodiment includes the steps of: receiving a first call; determining whether said first call originated from an artificial intelligence system; and when said first call is determined to have originated from an artificial intelligence system performing one or more artificial intelligence call handling operations.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for implementing menu-based communication are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, from a first computing device, a communication and data identifying a second computing device as a recipient of the communication. The actions may further include determining a first and second candidate response to the communication. The actions may further include providing, to the second computing device, the communication, the first and second candidate responses, and instructions to provide, for output by the second computing device, the first and second candidate responses as selectable responses to the communication. The actions may further include receiving, from the second computing device, the selection of the first or second candidate response. The actions may further include providing, for output to the first computing device, data indicating the selection of the first or second candidate response.

Embodiments may provide techniques to screen for, detect, and prevent connection of robocalls. For example, in an embodiment, a method, implemented in a computer system comprising a processor, memory accessible by the processor, and computer program instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor, may comprise receiving, at a telecommunications switch, a request to initiate a call from an originating party, selecting, at the telecommunications switch, from a list of terminating carrier networks, a media server, routing, at the telecommunications switch, the request to initiate the call to the media server, forwarding, from the media server, a media prompt requesting the originating party to enter a response to the media prompt, and when the originating party does not enter a correct response to the media prompt, forwarding, from the media server, an indication that the call is forbidden.

Systems and processes for integrating a digital assistant with telephony are provided. For example, an incoming call may be received, from a caller, at an electronic device. A communication session may be established between the caller and the digital assistant of the electronic device. In accordance with a determination that the identification of the caller is unknown, determination is made whether the caller corresponds to an automated calling system. In accordance with a determination that the identification of the caller is known, a response is provided by the digital assistant to the caller. An output including information corresponding to the communication is provided at the electronic device.