Spoofers Use Kentucky Law Firm's Phone Number in Credit Card Scam
Louisville, Ky., lawyer Scott Zoppoth started getting some strange phone calls last week. People from the area of Olympia, Wash., and the state of Maine were calling with a question: What’s the problem with my credit or debit card?
The callers told Zoppoth, the managing partner and owner of The Zoppoth Law Firm, that they were receiving automated calls telling them of a problem and asking for credit or debit card information. When they looked at their caller ID, the phone number from Zoppoth’s firm showed up.
Zoppoth called AT&T and learned that his phone number was apparently being used as part of a “spoofing” scam, he tells the ABA Journal. Zoppoth then turned to his information technology consultant, who reported he had other clients in Louisville with the same problem. It turned out that hackers with an Internet address in Germany had broken into the database of Zoppoth’s Internet and cable company to obtain phone numbers, and then pirated them to make free calls in the apparent scam.
“My IT guy spent all weekend in my offices, at my expense unfortunately, installing a new security system” that prevents his phones from being used by the scammers, Zoppoth tells the ABA Journal. “Basically he had to rebuild my entire phone system to keep out this hacker.” Zoppoth estimates his bill will be about $1,000 for the work. He has also written to AT&T, telling them he doesn’t plan to pay for the scammers’ phone calls.
Zoppoth has been warning callers not to disclose any credit or debit card information. He also gave permission for the Better Business Bureau to post a warning about the calls on its message board. KNDO/KNDU reported on the warning.
