Notice to Members – Fraudulent Scams
Lawyers in all areas of practice continue to be the frequent targets of bad cheque scams. These scams involve debt collections, business loans, IP licensing disputes or spousal support payments. Don’t be complacent and think you will never be fooled. These frauds are getting more sophisticated. The matters will look legitimate, the fraudsters will be very convincing and the client ID and other documents you receive will look real. The fake cheques will be printed on real cheque stock and in the past have fooled bank tellers and branch managers. There are often two or more people collaborating to make the scenario even more convincing (e.g., the lender and the debtor, the lender and the borrower, both ex-spouses, etc.).
Take steps to protect yourself. Use Google® to verify identity and contact information for all parties involved in the transaction. Make sure you understand and are comfortable with all aspects of the transaction. Dig deeper and ask questions about anything you don’t understand.
If you have been targeted by any of these frauds, please forward any of the emails and supporting documents that you have received to insurance@lawsociety.nf.ca. You can also report the fraud to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm
Following is a list of names associated to the various types of email scams which continue to be circulated to our members.