IP and VoIP equipment are powerful communications tools for businesses large and small, offering companies services that are high quality, cost effective, and allow employees location flexibility so that they can work and make calls from just about anywhere while still remaining within the company’s business phone network. But what happens when that valuable equipment falls into the wrong hands?

Officials are cracking down on VoIP fraud and have seized a large quantity of illegally obtained VoIP phone equipment in Bangladesh. The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) of Bangladesh arrested 40 Chinese, Taiwanese and Bangladeshi nationals on Dec. 22, who were suspected of operating illegal call termination under the guise of a garment business. On Saturday, officials raided a house in Uttara sector 12, where they found a series of soundproof rooms and a large amount of high-tech equipment, including VoIP equipment.

The RAB and officials of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) learned new details from Taiwanese intelligence officials after the December arrests that changed the story entirely.

As it turns out, those arrested had actually been involved in an elaborate scam to illegally charge people for VoIP calls they had never made. Posing as call center employees, the scammers would call victims and phish their credit card and bank account numbers. Once they’d gotten the numbers, they would place small charges on these victims’ account, so as not to draw attention to them.

These sorts of crimes are, unfortunately, not uncommon.

“Taiwanese intelligence detected similar incidents happening in Vietnam,” Lt Col Kismat Hayat, commanding officer of RAB 1, told the Dhaka Tribune. “When we arrested them, we thought it was the biggest ever haul of VoIP equipment in the country, but it was not. I am sure more groups are available in Bangladesh.”

In a world that is increasingly realizing the benefits and versatility of VoIP and IP phones, it’s important for companies to make sure their IP phone equipment is secure, and that their services are equally protected from fraud.