The Commission revealed that in response to complaints received from more than 300 internet users who found that their dial-up internet connections had been altered by fraudsters without their knowledge, it had been obliged to modify the direct-dialling system as it relates to calls made to the Cook Islands, Nauru, French Polynesia, the Solomon Islands, Norfolk Island, Tuvalu, Tokelau, Wallis and Fortuna, Mauritania, Sao Tome, Principe, the Comoros Islands, and Diego Garcia.

Calls will still be permitted to the locations in question (chosen by the scammers due to the high international call rates that they attract), but operator assistance will be required, in order to screen out calls from automated diallers.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, Commission spokesman Tom Butler revealed that the government of the Cook Islands had recently contacted the Irish communications regulator, offering to provide a 'white list' of legitimate phone numbers.

The Commission for Communications Regulation is set to review the cut-off list in six months.