Company sues unknown computer hackers

CHARLESTON – A North Carolina company with a Charleston office is suing unnamed hackers who they say broke into their computer system.

WeSave Inc. filed the lawsuit Jan. 24 in Kanawha Circuit Court. WeSave, which has an office at 208 Capitol Street, operates discount and loyalty programs for public employees.

The suit says that on Jan. 19, hackers believed to be West Virginians using a certain Internet protocol address accessed the computer systems of Freedom Voice Systems of Encinitas, Calif. That company operates under contract with WeSave to receive facsimile transmissions on its behalf and to forward that information to WeSave.

"Hackers accessed this system and deleted certain information belong to WeSave with the intent to alter, tamper with, delete, damage and destroy information knowingly and willfully without the authorization of WeSave in violation of the West Virginia Computer Crime and Abuse Act," the company, represented by attorney David Allen Barnette, says in the suit.

The company also claims the hackers disrupted and degraded the computer services and denied WeSave computer transmissions in violation of West Virginia Computer Crime and Abuse Act.

WeSave says it is entitled to recovery for each hacking violation, including compensatory and punitive damages and other relief, including injunctive relief.

WeSave seeks a judgment in amount to be proven at trial, plus pre- and post-judgment interest, punitive damages and other relief, including injunctive relief.

The company requests a jury trial.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Charlie King.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 06-C-117