Commercial Debt Collection Fraud
In this type of scam a lawyer is contacted to help an overseas business collect on a commercial debt from a purported borrower in the lawyer’s jurisdiction. The fraudster will provide documentation about the loan, sale of equipment, or whatever else incurred the debt. A retainer agreement will be signed, but the fraudster will delay in paying the retainer fee. Instead, the lawyer will be asked to deduct any fees from the debt payment.
When the lawyer has sent a demand letter (or sometimes, before any letter has been sent) a cheque will arrive. The lawyer will be asked to deposit the cheque in the trust account and wire the balance (after fees are deducted) to an overseas account. Of course, the cheque is fraudulent and the lawyer will be left with a shortfall in the trust account.
In this type of scam, the fraudsters will often use the details of a real company, including web address, names of real employees and the mailing address. The contact phone number and email, however, will be fake. We’ve seen the same company names used several times, with only the name of the fraudster changing.
In other variations of the scam, the fraudster may claim to be private lender or a firm looking to outsource debt collection work to third parties lawyers.
Accoroni, Franca of Elettronica Laser [May 2013]
Abusa, Hayabusa of Renesas Electronics [Feb 2013]
Aker, Ericksen [March 2013]
Affentranger, Anton of Implenia AG [March 2013]
Altosinno, Adriana of Olivetti S.P.A. [May 2013]
Andor, Fredrik [Feb 2013]
Akahane, Yasuhiro of Akahane Electronics Industry Corp [Jan 2013]
Andor, Fredrik [March 2013]
Andy Lau of Calan Worldwide Ltd [July 2011]
Aubrey, Ray [July 2012]
Bagio, Antonio of Marima Srl [May 2013]
Berdon, Alvin [March 2013]
Bessant, Steven of Carrington Career & Workwear [July 2012]
Branson, Mark of Glendale Truck & Equipment [September 2011]
Burger, George of Alliance Machining Technologies [Dec 2012]
Carlo, Marco Bruno of Paolieri Elletronica [May 2013]
Chalmers, Barclay [Oct 2012]
Chan, James of Lankom Electronics [August 2011]
Chander, Bailey of Carrington Career & Workwear [September 2011]
Chen, Peng of Whuan Iron & Steel [May 2013]
Cheng, Yeo Mao [July 2012]
Chin, Xian of Xian Chin of Shanxi Xinfusheng Machinery [April 2013]
Chung, David of GIH Electrical Holdings [December 2011]
Daniels, Val of Master-Cut Tools [April 2013]
Desmond, Dave [Feb 2013]
Denshi, Taro of Beam Electronics [Feb 2013]
Duga, Mark [December 2011]
Erikkson, Olec of Bjordal IndustrierAS [March 2013]
Esaki, Leo or Lee Hang [May 2012]
Fox, Howard of Bristol Medical Equipment [October 2011]
Fujiwara, Taketsuga of Asahi Kasei Corporation [Nov 2012]
Gilliard, James [September 2011]
Garisson, Marshal of Coma Holdings [Feb 2013]
Graham, Steven [February 2012]
Hayashida, Eiji [March 2012]
Hayato, Hiro of Chiyoda Electronics [March 2013]
Hensen, Dan of Hensen Equipment LLC [Sept 2012]
Hermida, Jose of Alliance Machining Technologies [May 2013]
Hill, Don of Hill Equipment Co [April 2012]
Hiraishi, Akira of Electronics Corp [Jan 2013]
Hirota, Shigehiko [APril 2013]
Hughes, Hiroyuki of Renesas Electronics [Feb 2013]
Hwong, Tsai Li [November 2011]
Jin, Kang Sun of Cowan Co [April 2013]
Johansson, Jan [January 2013]
Joseph, John [April 2013]
Kai, Kenichi of Bunkasha Publishing Co [Aug 2012]
Kagawa, Shinji [Jan 2013]
Kazuhiko, Nakamura [April 2013]
Kazuko, Harris [August 2011]
Khan, Anita [January 2011]
Kimora, Kew Lew of Futaba Corporation [Dec 2012]
Kitagawa, Hiroshi of Eta Electric Industry Co [April 2013]
Knight, Sean of Everton Oil & Gas [June 2011]
Knott, Martin of TEC Electrical Motor Ltd [Sept 2012]
Kuwabara, Hideo [March 2013]
Leong, Chan Cheu of Wah Seong Corporation Berhad Ltd [Sept 2012]
Louis Lau [June 2012]
Lau, Winky of Uni Ind (HK) Ltd [November 2011]
Lee, Chongan [October 2011]
Lee, Michael [Dec 2012]
Lelaki, Wargane [October 2011]
Liang, Liu [April 2012]
Lin, C.Y. of China Steel Corporation [May 2013]
Liu, Albert of Lankom Electronics [Jan 2013]
Liu, Iwashima of Iwashima Electronics Co Ltd [Sept 2012]
Luong, Thu [March 2013]
Ma Li Ni of Service Scope Electronics Ltd [July 2011]
Mathews, Kane of Wing Fung Manufacturing [May 2013]
Matsuo, Mori [March 2013]
McKinley, Blair [February 2012]
Mesh, Wang [April 2012]
Mikaela, Aina of Axis Communications [May 2013]
Molin, Johan of Assa Abloy [May 2013]
Munish, Shajesh of Usha Martin Ltd [Feb 2013]
Ogasawara, Akita of Alpha Electronics [Oct 2012]
Ohtsuka, Mitsuro [August 2011]
Otiz, Richard [December 2011]
Paplia, Tom of Glendale Truck & Equipment [Aug 2012]
Park, Siwan of Renesas Electronics [March 2013]
Qin, Feng Han of Echan Industries [Oct 2012]
Tanaka, Hiroshi of Ota Shinji Leasing Co [May 2013]
Tremblay, Daniel [Jan 2013]
Trescher, Nick of Trescher Fabrication [July 2012]
Tudore, Adam of Everton Oil & Gas [June 2011]
Rennie, Keith of RG Wire & Cable Ltd [July 2012]
Roberto, Camiolo [May 2013]
Robbie, Albert [June 2012]
Sara, Rizky Anandia of PT Mitra Saruta Indonesia [March 2013]
Scholes, Edward of J&A McDougall Ltd [April 2013]
Sjostrand, Frekrick of Axis Communications [March 2013]
Solskjaer, Harry of Bjordal IndustrierAS [March 2013]
Shui, Chen of Anhui Gujing Group Ltd [Aug 2012]
Shun, Wang [March 2012]
Smith, Daniel of Bristol Medical Equipment [October 2011]
Sue, Song of Chinese Graphite & Carbon [October 2011]
Silana, Greg of GSX Technology Solutions [August 2011]
Stakenberg, Michael of Sahaviriya Steel [Feb 2013]
Steven, Jerry of Carrington Career & Workwear [March 2012]
Stevenson, Ronald of Clarkwood Equipment Inc [June 2012]
Swayne, Bryan [December 2011]
Tang, Zhidan of Brone Electric [April 2013]
Terabayashi, Hideaki of NICCABI Co [Feb 2013]
Ualtar, Nick of Prodromou Textiles [June 2012]
Williams, Edward [July 2011]
Yee, Hing of Uni Ind (HK) Ltd [Septemebr 2011]
Yee, William of Anatech Construction Equipment Sales [July 2011]
Wang, May of Heidelberg China Ltd [June 2012]
Warsame, Frank [April 2013]
Wei, Li of Coma Holdings [Feb 2013]
Weissbrod, Harald of Bung Ingenieure As [May 2013]
West, James [February 2012]
Williams, Edward [August 2011]
Williams, Fred of GSX Technology Solutions [October 2011]
Wu, Cheng of Wu Co. Ltd. [March 2013]
Xubin, Huang of TCL Corporation [April 2013]
Yamamoto, Yuki of Daiichi Electronics [May 2013]
Yaman, Bassel of Beam Electronics Industrial [May 2013]
Yamanaka, Yuraki of Chan Industries [Aug 2012]
Yeng, Ma Li [December 2011]
Yuichi, Takumi of Takatori Int’l and Patent Office [Aug 2012]
Yumiko, Takagi [May 2013]
Zanussi, Lino [May 2013]
Zhang, Nan [July 2012]
Zhiming, Niu [April 2013]
