Phone and internet service provider AT&T claims that it is not responsible for a series of recent SIM-swapping complaints.
Was AT&T’s Security Lacking Somehow?
Recently, Live Bitcoin News reported on a man named Michael Terpin, an AT&T customer that had allegedly been the victim of SIM-swapping. Terpin alleges that a man bypassed his phone’s security to gain access to some of his online accounts, of few of which were crypto-related. He then managed to steal Terpin’s login information and steal millions in crypto funds.
The culprit has since been charged for the crime and a court has ruled that he must pay back everything he stole. At first glance, it appears this case is closed.
But Terpin is taking things a few steps further. He alleges that AT&T’s security protocols weren’t strong enough, which is what allowed the culprit to take control of his login data in the first place. He’s also saying that much of the login information the attacker gained control of came from a single AT&T employee situated in Tucson, Arizona that the hacker potentially bribed.
What’s scary is that this employee is now being tied to several SIM-swap cases that involve the phone and internet provider. This employee has reportedly been bribed several times, and has provided login information regarding several customers, all of whom say they were victims of SIM-swapping or similar occurrences.
Terpin is now suing AT&T in federal court. The enterprise is denying any guilt and recently released a statement explaining:
Mr. Terpin is wrong, and we have asked the court to dismiss his complaint.
Terpin’s lawyer is David Silver, who has since turned Terpin’s case into a class-action suit. It appears SIM-swapping has become far more prominent over the last two years, and several people have fallen victim to the tactic. Right now, Silver is representing over 30 individuals through the suit, all of whom allege that AT&T failed to provide stronger security when it came to private data protection.
What’s unique is that Silver claims to have been a victim of SIM-swapping himself in the past. The pain and anger he felt from the situation caused him to connect with Terpin and the other 30 victims instantly, and he’s confident he’s the perfect person to tackle this.
This Seems to Be Happening Everywhere
In addition to the case against AT&T, Silver says he’s also pursuing similar cases against other cell phone providers throughout the United States including Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint. Terpin expressed his distaste for AT&T and commented:
AT&T’s security isn’t worth the money you pay for it… If you have an AT&T account, switch it over immediately to anybody else.
Silver also commented that AT&T was “working with” the hackers and said it was the “weakest link” when it came to cell phone security.