Debt collection scam by Brian Butterworth
Description of Potential Fraud:
Two Ontario lawyers and one in Quebec have notified us that they’ve received emails from the purported Brian Butterworth looking to retain them with regards to collecting a debt. This is similar to other frauds of this kind we have seen. For a full description of how this fraud works and to see other names attached to it, see our Confirmed Fraud page that deals with business load frauds.
Here is an example of the email:
From: Prof. Brian, Butterworth FBA [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: January-19-12 5:54 AM
To: lawyer name
Subject: Retainer
Please would you let me know if your firm deals with failed debt repayment.
Sincerely,
Prof. Brian Butterworth FBA
17, King Square, London
WC1N 3AR
How to handle a real or suspected fraud
If you have been targeted by any of these frauds, please forward any of the emails and supporting documents that you have received to [email protected].
If you suspect you are acting on a matter that might be a fraud, call LAWPRO at 1-800-410-1013 (416-598-5899). 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. If the matter you are acting on turns out to be 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.
For more immediate updates on fraud and claims prevention, subscribe to the email or RSS feed updates from LAWPRO’s AvoidAClaim blog.
Fraud Fact SheetMore fraud prevention information and resources are available on the practicePRO Fraud page, 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.
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