The introduction of the social media phenomenon introduced a whole new way to connect with friends, follow trends, promote the corporate brand message, share news and so much more. But, did you also know that social media is the perfect tool for fraud?

News feeds include regular updates on the current risks associated with online use of just about any asset. Without proper security, control, authentication and monitoring, online users are easily at risk of malicious activity. When phone calls are placed over the public Internet, this technology, and associated revenues, may also be at risk.

Those calls placed over the public Internet are using VoIP technology and VoIP fraud has become big business. Least cost routing provider, TransNexus (News - Alert), often talks about this malicious activity, especially traffic pumping. A recent Free Route Server blog suggests that Twitter (News - Alert) may be the next platform to enable VoIP fraud.

It’s not a far stretch to think that a Twitter account can’t be hacked. Who hasn’t received the, “check out this video of you someone has posted” or the “I couldn’t believe this when I saw it…check it out” messages? Whatever it takes to access personal information that can lead to a free cash source is on the table.

Consider the large brands that have had the same problem. Burger King, Jeep, McDonald’s and more have all experienced hacking on their Twitter accounts. How difficult would it really be for one of these hackers to gain the legitimate attention of the brand followers and encourage them to share information or make a call in exchange for a free burger, hundreds of dollars off a vehicle or other incentives?

If the brand has hundreds of thousands of users and just 1 percent responds to the offer by placing a call, the fraud has the potential to generate tens of thousands of calls. The resulting Telephony Denial of Service (TDoS) attack or the inflation of traffic to the revenue sharing number has far-reaching implications.

It’s likely that this method has already been tested, perhaps even completed on a smaller scale. After all, hackers are generally right in line with the latest innovations in technology and don’t leave anything untapped. It appears the majority of fraudulent activities now focus on sending seemingly embarrassing messages, but is there really any money to be made there? The real opportunity appears to be in VoIP fraud – will providers be ready?