An Unlikely Workplace Mystery: The Case of the Hacked Phones at Our Law Firm

In an unexpected turn of events, our office has recently fallen victim to a series of perplexing phone hacks. For the past year, our telecommunication lines have been redirected to a dubious dating service, and after extensive investigation, we have serious suspicions about one specific coworker. With the telecommunications giant AT&T unable to provide a solution, we are reaching out to the community for help.

The Frustration of an Unseen Adversary

The atmosphere in our office has shifted dramatically. Working at a law firm, one doesn’t typically expect to encounter a situation reminiscent of a classic whodunit—a scenario where a colleague may be jeopardizing not only our professional integrity but also their own job security. Despite the absurdity of the situation, it appears we are dealing with a coworker whose toxic behavior has created an environment rife with distrust and anxiety.

As of now, many of my colleagues, including my mother—the office accountant—are beginning to feel as though we’re playing a version of Clue: figuring out who is sabotaging our office phone system. The unsettling aspect is that the presumed culprit has access to sensitive information and the tools necessary to manipulate our communication lines.

The Technical Details

Our current phone system relies on outdated devices manufactured by Comdial, now known as Zeracom. With six lines connected through AT&T, calls to our main line can roll over to the next if the first is busy. Alarmingly, we have witnessed individual lines being forwarded to an unsettlingly vague dating service multiple times a week—sometimes even several times a day. Just today, we experienced four such instances. To regain control, we have to manually unforward each line using specific codes. To add insult to injury, the recorded message on the dating service line only heightens our confusion about its legitimacy.

Despite our persistent efforts, we have received numerous reports from both AT&T technicians and representatives from the phone system’s manufacturer indicating that this kind of interference can only originate from within our office space. This crucial detail has been continuously dismissed by upper management, who seem more inclined to suggest a provider change rather than address the clear signs of internal sabotage.

The Suspect

The key individual we suspect is a long-time employee who previously held my position and is highly knowledgeable about the operations of our phone system. This person has a history of making spiteful comments about her past relationships, suggesting