Phone-hacking fashion flack used free software to spy on ex's lover
Filed under: Technology, People, Media, Hewlett-Packard
After a wild phone-hacking spree into some 700 voicemails of frenemies, boyfriends and others, former Dolce & Gabbana publicist and wannabe socialite, Ali Wise, has been arrested and charged on 17 criminal counts. Her accomplice, according to court documents: free software called SpoofCard. Used to snoop on such high-profile socialistas as Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton, SpoofCard allows users to disguise their numbers and access other people's voicemail.
Although Wise's case revolves around the glitzy lives of the fashion world's famous, corporate spies have used similar technology for years, including the infamous "pretexting" case in which Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) spied on its own board members.
In this case, the formerly high-flying "p.r. princess" for top fashion house Dolce & Gabbana, was engaged in an apparently vicious battle with designer Nina Freudenberger, whose voicemails she hacked into after Freudenberger started dating Wise's ex, music executive Josh Deutsch. The New York Post reported that Wise's victims also included her on-again, off-again beau, hotelier Jason Pomeranc.
Wise is now charged with four counts each of computer trespassing, eavesdropping, computer tampering, and aggravated harassment, plus one count of stalking. When questioned by the police, Wise confessed, according to a copy of the complaint obtained by DailyFinance.
"I used the SpoofCard to get into her voicemails," Wise is quoted as saying, referring to Freudenberger.
Wise, 30, allegedly listened in on the phone messages and deleted those that displeased her. Wise's lawyer, Ed Kratt, told CBS News: "SpoofCard is readily available on the Internet to anybody who wants to use it. One of the issues is whether Ali realized what she was doing was unlawful and the answer to that is clearly she did not."
The Post reported that Wise has now become "radioactive" in the fashion PR business.
Meir Cohen, founder of the company that makes SpoofCard, told the network that "a few years back, Paris Hilton was using our technology to access a whole bunch of Hollywood celebrities' voicemail, including Lindsay Lohan, and we had to terminate her account for misusing it." He said users must sign an agreement not to use the service illegally.
But SpoofCards' own web site boasts a testimonial from a customer who says he uses SpoofCard "for my work in the PI business. It helps me locate people who would otherwise not be located, as well as gain information necessary in my investigations."
It's not just celebrities who have to be worried about their privacy. In recent years, major corporate espionage cases have also involved voicemail hacking. In 2006, three former Hewlett-Packard operatives were charged with illegally spying on the company's board members and reporters in an effort to stanch high-level leaks. As I wrote at the time, it was sordid drama that besmirched the reputation of the pioneering Silicon Valley firm and led to state and federal laws banning the practice -- known as "pretexting" -- of impersonating people to obtain their phone records.
Ali Wise couldn't deal with the fact that her ex-boyfriend was dating someone else, so she broke into and spied on their voicemails. It's the stuff of soap operas, but a useful reminder to everyone about data security. Wise now faces up to four years in jail.



























Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
10-21-2009 @ 8:17PM
James said...
At least these idiot bots tell me what site to consciously avoid.
Reply
10-21-2009 @ 9:31PM
Shade said...
You've got that right, James! I'm betting the Bots will be the reason for AOL taking away the privilege of posting, in the near future.
10-22-2009 @ 1:08AM
Franklen said...
Does it strike anyone as strange that Carly Fiorina's name didn't appear anywhere in the article, even though she was the one who approved the spying at HP, and got kicked out of her CEO spot for it. They said it was for poor judgement over the merger with Compaq, but the firing didn't happen until after the spying became public and was the final straw. I guess running for office makes you untouchable.
10-21-2009 @ 8:25PM
Jim Fedullo said...
give me a break, she didn't know that it was illegal to go into someone else's mail. buying a gun isn't illegal unless you shoot someone. she knew by signing the agreement w/ SPOOFCARD that she was using the card wrongfully. jail time , bitch. time to let go of the past & get on w/ your life , at least after the next 4 years or so. it is a federal crime to tamper w/ someones mail, i wonder what it is to tamper w/ someones phone mail. she knew that she was pushing the envelope & thought that she would never get caught, but she can ponder that idea in the CAN for the next several years.
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10-21-2009 @ 11:14PM
Pat A said...
I doubt she get any jail time. If she's a first time offender, she'll get off with probation and community service.
10-22-2009 @ 11:09AM
bpeter said...
Hate to correct you but you can legally buy a gun & you can even legally shoot someone with it given you have just cause namely in the protection of yourself, family, or property. So your wrong to say you can't shoot someone. A person could threaten you with a knife & you could justifibly shoot them feeling threatened by such act.
10-22-2009 @ 2:49AM
mark said...
Why do people feel so free to suggest jail time for other people as though it was candy like the rest of our justice system hands it out? Yea, we need to fill our overcrowded jails up with people like this chick! Maybe you need to spend ONE DAY in jail and you might have a different prespective on what FOUR Years in jail would feel like. This was certainly an intrussion on other peoples privacy and deserves punishment but she didn't hit someone over the head with a tire iron for christs sake.
10-22-2009 @ 5:00AM
calvin said...
they can call it pretexting or whatever they like, it is still identity theft which is illegal, they OUGHTTA lock her up, unless of course, they want to make ID theft legal, if you didn't realize it was illegal, lol
10-21-2009 @ 8:28PM
Mandi said...
..and thta's what Dolce and Gabana gets for hiring the 'young and the blonde - looking for a celeb hubby' instead of the' old and expereinced just doing their job' in PR, Publicity and Communications. Still haven't learned a thing from the Lizzie Grubman episode huh? Other 'big' companies, take note and hire the experienced. Leave the "kids" alone.
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10-22-2009 @ 12:28AM
Ly said...
Oh please. Bringing hair color and age into your argument completely removed the continuity. You are obviously bitter about young people in power, but give it a rest. They're the future of this country, your generation already had its turn.
Who, I question, will be there to fill in the shoes of the 'experienced' once retirement age hits? Yes, the 'kids.' Let them have their chance to find their place before you knock them down. They'll make mistakes just as everyone else does, and in time, fill the roles of their predecessors in new and unprecedented ways.
10-22-2009 @ 2:25AM
Mandi Pinni said...
You have no idea how old I am, and to assume I am "old", I'll take that as a great compliment. "Kids" need to get experience from those who are experienced, possibly gain some respect and learn from them (maybe jail would help) as they grow instead of being a know it all because they feel that cash measures success. But this is only about Public Relations/Publicity - a once noble, stand-alone industry now tainted by the inexperienced. And one more learning curve: 'kids' know nothing new - will do nothing new. Just create a better 'mousetrap'. Look at music. Last original song not sampled was...when? TV Shows? Remakes of movies? Science? Mathematics? Philosophy? Who DID have the real innovative ideas? Good effort point you made, but when you get a tad older and may get to work with adults, you'll understand.
10-21-2009 @ 8:30PM
RK said...
Please go advertise somewhere else.This board is for comments,not for you.
Reply
10-21-2009 @ 8:42PM
trish bare said...
Well all i can say is shes young and did something she shouldnt of done.Well i guess its ok and you the poparazzi mmm?maybe youre better off being rich!!!
Reply
10-21-2009 @ 9:05PM
susan said...
Why do some come in and comment to advertise there stupid products. cheap advertising!!!! your desperate!!!!
any the topic is the young lady easedroppingof celebraty lives etc. she should be in prison yessssss.
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10-21-2009 @ 8:49PM
ZAK said...
Apparently she is a bit low on self-confidence, self esteem, morals, respect for the privacy of others......or wacko. Spy software should only be available to law enforcement agencies.
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10-21-2009 @ 9:06PM
Hugh Jass said...
So they can spy on us, but we can't even have the option to think about spying? Retard.
10-21-2009 @ 8:54PM
jose jiminez said...
Nice commercial for SpoofCard! Anyone smell payola in some of these "news" postings?
Reply
10-21-2009 @ 11:15PM
Chaz said...
I agree 100% man - I even had to check out that site to be honest before this 'story' I didn't even know spoofcard even EXISTED...
Even if she did this SOMEONE (COUGH AOL COUGH) got paid.... they said "Spoof card" to many times and sold it like a product
10-22-2009 @ 9:51AM
jfahle3 said...
Not the greatest ad: Use our product, see the world from the inside of a jail cell...
10-21-2009 @ 8:56PM
lala said...
Looks like Ali WISE isn't so WISE.
Reply