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10 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 5 NOVEMBER 2023 MATTHEW VELLA MALTA'S communications regu- lator is exploring ways of filtering out scam calls and SMS spoofing with tech providers in Malta who operate international network in- terfaces. The Malta Communications Authority is seeking industry in- put on caller scams in Malta, in a bid to collect insights on potential preventative measures to mitigate such scams. The MCA believes that an even- tual outcome will targeting specif- ic calls, purporting to be from na- tional numbers, that are received in Malta over such international network interfaces. Scams which involve the spoofing of Calling Line Identi- fication (CLI) for calls or Sender ID for SMS, are on the rise glob- ally, facilitated in their spread and evolution by advancements in online communications solu- tions. The MCA said scammers in- creasingly spoof locally known numbers for voice calls, called 'vishing', or familiar SMS Sender IDs, 'smishing', to abuse of po- tential victims' knowledge of, and trust in, such numbers and iden- tifiers. These social engineering frauds exploit people's trust to obtain money directly or obtain confi- dential information to enable a subsequent crime. The majority of scam calls are transited from a foreign country via international network opera- tors, which makes the fight against such scams complex because it is hard to distinguish between cer- tain illegitimate and legitimate calls. "Accurately determining le- gitimacy of incoming calls is thus key to the success or failure of any intervention," the MCA said, however added that distinguish- ing between the two is challeng- ing, "particularly given that mali- cious actors use the same, or very similar, tools that facilitate legiti- mate calls." The MCA said the global ef- fort against call spoofing includes solutions such as blocking calls by filtering specific number ranges, or real-time checks that detect possible spoofing of mobile num- bers. Artificial Intelligence could also analyse traffic patterns for unu- sual activity which could be in- dicative of potentially fraudulent behaviour. Over the last years, Maltese phone users have been targeted by various phone scams. In 2022, scammers were impersonating police and Identity Malta officials to access people's personal infor- mation. The scam targeted eID account holders, with the caller asking for login details while alleging that the account of the receiver has been hacked. It used a pre-recorded message to ask people for their ID information, postcode or card de- tails. Some of the calls allege that the potential victim is linked to financial crime. In 2017, a series of scam calls to Maltese numbers emanated from such countries like Liberia, the Comoros, or Belize, or Morocco, in what are dubbed as Wangi- ri scams: Japanese for 'one and cut' or 'one ring' scam: the fraud lies in the hope that these missed calls are returned, whereupon the unassuming called will then be routed to a premium rate overseas number, and billed a large sum of cash to listen to a pre-recorded message. The scam is done with autodial- ling for maximum spread. How- ever, the dialler hangs up after the first ring, so the number is record- ed as a missed call on the prospec- tive victim's phone. If he or she notices the call and assumes that it was a legitimate call, he or she may well dial the 'missed' number in order to find out what the call was about. The scam artists also use phone numbers bought on the dark web, where a healthy trade in illegal goods goes on. This, in fact, con- firms the experience of couples at home who receive the scam phone calls within minutes of each other, suggesting that their data has been sold off. Beware vishing and smishing: regulator vows to fight scam calls MCA exploring ways of filtering out scam calls and SMS spoofing that target Maltese numbers using international networks KURT SANSONE MALTESE tuna ranchers will start ex- porting the prized fish to China after an agreement was signed granting them ac- cess to a market of 1.4 billion people. The agreement comes after two years of negotiations and paves the way for Mal- tese-fished Bluefin tuna to be sold in China for the first time. Described as a milestone in the two countries' trading partnership, the agree- ment was signed on Friday between For- eign Minister Ian Borg and the Chinese vice president for public health in Beijing. Malta is one of the largest producers of Bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean with a significant export market to Japan where the fish is considered a delicacy. According to the National Statistics Of- fice, Maltese fish farms sold 16,410 tonnes of fish, worth €210 million, in 2021, with 95% of it being exported to Japan. Charlon Gouder, CEO of the Maltese Federation of Aquaculture Producers, de- scribed the development as a "proud mo- ment" for the industry. "We always had confidence that the Chinese would love it too but Beijing de- manded the highest of standards," he told MaltaToday from the Chinese capital. "In two years of negotiations we demonstrated pristine seas, well-regulated fish farms and an adherence to demanding standards; the evidence was convincing and we won ap- proval." Maltese tuna will be on display at the Shanghai China International Import Ex- po (CIIE) fair over the coming week. Trade Malta, the Malta Food Agency and Aqua- culture Resources Limited have a dedicat- ed stand at the Expo. "This will provide an excellent opportu- nity for participants to discover just how delicious Maltese Bluefin tuna is," Goud- er said. "It is truly remarkable to witness the big strides made by the tuna industry, underscoring the pivotal role that food can play in nurturing diplomacy between na- tions." Atlantic Bluefin tuna is farmed through a capture-based aquaculture method. The fish are harvested towards the end of the year after being caught as wild tuna in June. The captured tuna is kept in large pens off Malta's shores and fed on baitfish, such as mackerel, herring, sardines and ancho- vy, for growth and to increase muscle, oil and fat content. The industry is not without its contro- versy, with environmental campaigners criticising the damage done to the seabed from waste deposited from the pens where the fish are kept. During the summer months, waste from the farming process sometimes washes ashore, polluting some of the bays along Malta's eastern coastline. However, over the past few years the industry has sought to upgrade and mod- ernise its processes to reduce incidences of pollution. It has also engaged in cleaning exercises to in an attempt to foster good neighbour- liness. A processing plant at Ħal Far was also opened to transform the by products from processed tuna into animal feed, eliminating a lot of the waste that would normally end up in the sea. Maltese tuna diplomacy opens up Chinese export market Charlon Gouder, CEO of the Maltese Federation of Aquaculture Producers, says the opening of the Chinese market for Malta's tuna exporters is a 'proud moment'