"AvoidAClaim" Blog

LAWPRO is looking to hire a corporate write/policy analyst with legal experience. The position reports to the Communications Director. This person will work closely with company executive, the communications and risk management departments to plan, research, write and edit a broad range of assignments for external and internal stakeholders including: policy and position papers, speeches, presentations, reports, articles for the company’s external publication, risk management materials/brochures, and other materials as needed.

The job is downtown Toronto, and the ideal candidate should have:

• A proven track record in planning, researching, writing and producing a wide range of corporate resources.
• Extensive experience writing policy/position papers, speeches, presentations, articles for magazines and other writing assignments suitable for professional audiences.
• Strong analytical, writing and presentation skills.
• Advanced computer abilities and social media experience.
• Law degree and experience working in a legal environment, preferably as a practising lawyer.
• Strong interpersonal skills, ability to interact with professionals and non-professionals.
• Be self-directed, well-organized and able to juggle competing priorities and deadlines.

To apply:
Send your resume in confidence to:
Lawyers’ Professional Indemnity Company
Attn: Human Resources Department
250 Yonge St Suite 3101 P.O. Box 3
Toronto, ON M5B 2L7
e-mail: careers@lawpro.ca
fax: 416-598-5807

Over fifty Ontario lawyers have notified us that they’ve been contacted by the purported Jennifer Wong with regards to a to a collaborative family law agreement dispute. This is a fraud we have seen before under several other names and similar scenarios. For examples of other names attached to this kind of fraud see our Confirmed Fraud Page. For an explanation of how this fraud works see our Fraud Fact Sheet.

Here is the initial email:

From: Jennifer Wong [mailto:cnsollar1@gmail.com]
Sent: June-10-13 1:48 PM
To: jenwg@yahoo.com.hk
Subject: Legal Counsel 10/06/2013..
Dear Counsel,

Thanks.
Jennifer Wong.

A lawyer who replied got this response and fake ID:

Thanks for your response. Regarding my inquiry, the cause of our separation was one 26 years old Jamaican girl he sleeps with each time I complain he beats me up, I was forced to move to Japan with our kids, here is the situation; I have tried to contact my ex-husband Richard but he has changed his number, I emailed him and he replied saying he will pay and that he changed number for couple of other reason not related to me. But it has past due when he is suppose to pay, I know him and I believe with the influence of your law firm he will be willing to pay.

Jennifer Wong.

This appears to be a bad cheque scam (for details on how these work see this earlier AvoidAClaim post)

If you have been targeted by this fraud, please forward any of the emails you have received to fraudinfo@lawpro.ca.

Call LAWPRO (if you are an Ontario lawyer) at 1-800-410-1013 (416-598-5899) if you suspect you are acting on a matter that appears like it might be a fraud. We will talk you through the common fraud scenarios we are seeing and help you spot red flags that may indicate you are being duped. This will help you ask appropriate questions of your client to determine if the matter is legitimate or not. In the event the matter you are acting is a fraud and there is a potential claim, we will work with you to prevent the fraud and minimize potential claims costs.

If you have been successfully duped, please immediately notify LAWPRO as there may be a claim against you. Instructions on how to report a claim are here.

Further fraud prevention information and resources are available on the practicePRO Fraud page (www.practicepro.ca/fraud), including the Fraud Fact Sheet, a handy reference for lawyers and law firm staff that describes the common frauds and the red flags that can help identify them.

For more immediate updates on fraud and claims prevention, subscribe to the email or RSS feed updates from LAWPRO’s AvoidAClaim blog.

Since February of 2011, over 200 lawyers from across North America reported to us an attempted family law agreement collection scam by the purported Zaira (or Rika) Jyong Hoshiko. From the very large number of reports we have received, it appears that hundreds or even thousands of lawyers are being targeted by this bad cheque scam. (For details on how these bad cheque scams work see this earlier AvoidAClaim post)

The email messages, the collaborative law agreement and the payment agreements that are being provided are identical to those used in previous fraud attempts we have seen by the purported Kathy Cheung and Peggy Higashi.

An example of the initial contact (some of which are personally addressed to the lawyer) and the follow-ups appear below, as well as a copy of the ID provided and copies of the other supporting documents sent by the fraudster, including a forged cheque:

First contact:
From: Zaira Hoshiko
Subject: I am contacting your firm to an enforcement of divorce issue either via litigation or non-litigations btw my ex and I. Please advice
To:
Date: Tuesday, February 1, 2011, 3:19 PM

Hoshiko has used several email addresses including: zaira.hoshiko@nl.rogers.com; hosh2zaira@qatar.io; hoshi2zaira@qatar.io; zairahosh@iprimus.com.au; zairahoshik@btinternet.com; zairahosh@btinternet.com; zairahoshik@btinternet.com; zairaho@btinternet.com; hoshikozaira@yahoo.com.hk

Second contact:
From: Zaira Hoshiko
Subject: Thank You
To: XXXXXXXXX
Date: Wednesday, February 2, 2011, 12:15 PM

My Husband and I had an out of court agreement (Collaborative Law Agreement) for him to pay $950,500.00 plus legal fees. He has only paid me $251,500.00 since; I am hereby seeking your firm’s assistance in collecting the balance from him. He has agreed already to pay me the balance but it is my belief that a Law firm like yours is needed to help me collect/enforce payment from my ex-husband Allen Hoshiko or litigate this matter if he fails to pay as promised. My ex husband Allen Hoshiko still lives in your jurisdiction while I am presently working in South Korea.
I will be pleased to provide further information on this matter on request. I expect this to be a non-litigation matter as I have already notified him I am planning on retaining your firm service. Please send me an agreement/ retainer form under a flexible fee arrangement so I can have a preview.
Collaborative agreement attached
Best Regards
Zaira Hoshiko
Address:Apt 206,357 -33,
Shindang- Dong Chung, Seoul
South Korea
0082-31-656 7883

From: Zaira Hoshiko [mailto:zairahoshiko@btinternet.com]
Sent: Friday, February 11, 2011 7:32 AM
To: XXXXXXXXXX
Subject: Re: Enforcement

Zaira Hoshiko
ADDRESS: RM 108,138-859 Hongjin Bldg. #311, Ogeum-dong 134-1, Songpa-gu,Seoul, South Korea.

Click here to view the Collaborative Law Agreement provided by the fraudster.

Click here to read the settlement agreement provided by the fraudster

If you have been targeted by this fraud, please forward any of the emails you have received to fraudinfo@lawpro.ca.

Call LAWPRO (if you are an Ontario lawyer) at 1-800-410-1013 (416-598-5899) if you suspect you are acting on a matter that appears like it might be a fraud. We will talk you through the common fraud scenarios we are seeing and help you spot red flags that may indicate you are being duped. This will help you ask appropriate questions of your client to determine if the matter is legitimate or not. In the event the matter you are acting is a fraud and there is a potential claim, we will work with you to prevent the fraud and minimize potential claims costs.

If you have been successfully duped, please immediately notify LAWPRO as there may be a claim against you. Instructions on how to report a claim are here.

Further fraud prevention information and resources are available on the practicePRO Fraud page (www.practicepro.ca/fraud), including the Fraud Fact Sheet, a handy reference for lawyers and law firm staff that describes the common frauds and the red flags that can help identify them.

For more immediate updates on fraud and claims prevention, subscribe to the email or RSS feed updates from LAWPRO’s AvoidAClaim blog.

A new addition to the practicePRO Lending Library is Find Info Like a Pro: Mining the Internet’s Publically Available Resources for Investigative Research by Carole A. Levitt and Mark E. Rosch.

The internet contains a wealth of free resources that legal professionals can put to use in investigative and background research. This book provides the secrets, shortcuts and realities of using these tools for (among other things) investigations, depositions, locating witnesses or heirs and trial preparations.

Click here to view the table of contents.

The practicePRO Lending Library is a free resource for Ontario lawyers of more than 100 books on a wide variety of law practice management related topics. You can see a full listing of our books here. You may borrow a book in person or via e-mail.

The practicePRO Library is located in our office at 250 Yonge Street, Suite 3101 in Toronto and can be visited during our regular business hours (Mon to Fri, 8:30 to 5:00). We invite you to come by anytime to peruse our selection. All titles in the practicePRO Lending Library can be shipped to Ontario lawyers at our expense, and returned at yours after three weeks.

If you would like to borrow this or any other book please email us. Most of our titles are also available from the ABA Web Store or the major booksellers here in Canada.

A new addition to the practicePRO Lending Library is Selling In You Comfort Zone: Safe and Effective Strategies for Developing New Business by Robert N. Kohn and Lawrence M. Kohn.

Selling is an important skill for lawyers in private practice, but its also one that many are uncomfortable with. This book aims to change the thinking of those that may have had unpleasant experiences with selling.

The authors provide strategies to help you develop confidence, identify comfortable sales target, and communicate value. Also included are practical tips and modules for public speaking, time management, public relations, satisfaction surveys and strategic planning.

Click here to view the table of contents.

The practicePRO Lending Library is a free resource for Ontario lawyers of more than 100 books on a wide variety of law practice management related topics. You can see a full listing of our books here. You may borrow a book in person or via e-mail.

The practicePRO Library is located in our office at 250 Yonge Street, Suite 3101 in Toronto and can be visited during our regular business hours (Mon to Fri, 8:30 to 5:00). We invite you to come by anytime to peruse our selection. All titles in the practicePRO Lending Library can be shipped to Ontario lawyers at our expense, and returned at yours after three weeks.

If you would like to borrow this or any other book please email us. Most of our titles are also available from the ABA Web Store or the major booksellers here in Canada.