Piper Alderman responds to impersonation scam involving Mushroom Music
19/06/2025
Piper Alderman has become aware of a series of fraudulent emails falsely claiming to represent the firm in relation to alleged copyright infringements involving Mushroom Music Publishing. These emails, sent from suspicious addresses and referencing unauthorised use of music content on various Facebook pages, are part of an impersonation scam targeting Australian businesses and community organisations.
The scam emails misuse the names of Piper Alderman partners, including Tony Britten-Jones and Tim O’Callaghan, and falsely claim legal action is being pursued under the Copyright Act 1968 and other legislation. Recipients of the emails are urged to click on links to view supposed evidence, which may pose cybersecurity risks.
Piper Alderman confirms that these communications are not legitimate and were not issued by the firm or any of its representatives. We strongly advise recipients not to click on any links or provide personal information in response to these emails.
Tim O’Callaghan, Deputy Managing Partner and intellectual Property Partner stated:
“We take the misuse of our firm’s name and the impersonation of our lawyers very seriously. We are working with our IT and legal teams to monitor and respond to these incidents, and we encourage anyone who receives such emails to report them immediately”.
If you have received a suspicious email claiming to be from Piper Alderman, please contact us directly via our official website at https://www.piperalderman.com.au and refrain from engaging with the sender.
In today’s email-heavy landscape, it is essential to remain vigilant when receiving correspondence from unfamiliar or external email addresses. To identify fraudulent emails, be mindful of the following common indicators:
- Unwarranted urgency – Scammers often create a false sense of urgency, demanding immediate action (e.g., “You have 24 hours” or “Immediate response required”).
- Errors and inconsistencies – Typographical errors, poor grammar, spelling mistakes, and inconsistent formatting, such as varying font sizes.
- Scare tactics – Utilising threats of severe consequences, such as legal action, financial penalties, or cease-and-desist orders, to pressure recipients into responding.
- Inconsistent email addresses – Review past correspondence to verify the sender’s email address, ensuring it aligns with previous legitimate communications.
- Misuse of familiar names – Scam emails often reference a known attorney to exploit existing relationships to encourage compliance.
We encourage our clients, employees, and members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious or seemingly fraudulent emails impersonating Piper Alderman employees. Please direct any concerns to the contact listed below.
For expert advice about copyright, trade marks and other IP matters, contact:
Tim O’Callaghan
Deputy Managing Partner & IP Partner