Separation agreement scam using the name Linda Marie Pacelli
Date First Reported: October 2015
Primary Name Associated: Linda Pacelli
Description of Potential Fraud:
An Ontario firm notified us that they received an email from the purported Linda Marie Pacelli looking to retain them with regards to a collecting overdue payments resulting from a separation agreement.
This appears to be a bad cheque scam that presents as legal matter requiring the assistance of a lawyer. In this scam lawyers will be duped into wiring real funds from their trust accounts after depositing a fake cheque received as payment from the debtor (who is part of the fraud).
See our Confirmed Fraud Page for more of an explanation of how these frauds work and to see other names associated with it. Our Fraud Fact Sheet lists the red flags of a bogus legal matter that is really a fraud.
Here is the initial email received by the lawyer:
From: linda Marie Pacelli [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: October-28-15 5:25 AM
To:
Subject: Hello
Hello,
I wish to file a contempt petition against my ex-spouse that resides in your jurisdiction for breaching the court Decree in regards to payment of Family Divorce Settlement.
Look forward to your response to enable me furnish you with more details,
My Regards,
Linda Marie Pacelli
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.
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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.
November 23, 2015 at 4:35 pm, Bradley Woodworth said:
My firm received the same general inquiry, and when we responded to it requesting a phone number, received a prompt response with hubby divorce docs from Australia or some such, and the immediately suspicious amounts involved of $847,000 or some such, and the routine prediction the debtor would voluntarily pay. Which lead me to check here. Voila!
January 24, 2016 at 10:55 pm, Maury Beaulier said:
I get these scam solicitations fairly often. It’s a big red flag when they are out of the country and can’t come in for an appointment. I received the email below today – 01/24/16.
Attorney,
I wish to file a contempt petition against my ex-spouse that resides in your jurisdiction for breaching the Court Decree in regards to payment of Family Divorce Settlement.
Look forward to your response to enable me furnish you with more details,
My Regards,
Linda Marie Pacelli
February 17, 2016 at 3:43 pm, Chad Bennett said:
I received the exact same email today…
Attorney,
I wish to file a contempt petition against my ex-spouse that resides in your jurisdiction for breaching the Court Decree in regards to payment of Family Divorce Settlement.
Look forward to your response to enable me furnish you with more details,
My Regards,
Linda Marie Pacelli
March 07, 2016 at 9:55 am, Ann Clay said:
Received initial email last week and after responding and requesting more information from her, received a follow up email with more detail…..
#1
Dear Attorney,
I wish to file a contempt petition against my ex-spouse for breaching the Court Decree in regards to payment of Family Divorce Settlement.
Look forward to your response to enable me furnish you with more details,
My Regards,
Linda Marie Pacelli
#2
Dear Attorney:
Thank you for your prompt response to my inquiry.I am (Linda Marie Pacelli) from (Florida) and my ex-spouse (Keith Francis Pacelli) lives in your jurisdiction.
Please consider my health i should have make phone call but due to my sickness of diagnose i became having hearing problem that was the reason i cannot make call or receive.
We both married and divorced in Queensland,Australia with 3 children, my ex-husband Keith Francis Pacelli relocated to (Atlanta, GA), he is a business Man, he is into Real Estate Management, we both agreed under a Separation Agreement incorporated, merged into and made part of the court decree for a settlement of child support, spousal support, and medical support of $941,100.00 USD, he has paid me $270,500.00USD but still owing $670,600.00 dollars and the stipulated time for completion of payment has long elapsed.
I am hereby now seeking your legal assistance in collecting the balance or helping me enforce and have him honor the agreement. I will be providing further information upon your request. I have already advised Keith Francis Pacelli my ex husband that i will be retaining a Lawyer, so he knows I am ready to take action to get my balance funds from him.
Let me know the amount of your (Retainer Fee) and (Percentage) to recover every payment from my ex husband and draft me your (Retainer Agreement) to sign so that we can start from there.
See the attached copy of the Separation Agreement, Decree of Divorce and our Marriage Certificate and my Driver License.
My Regards,
Linda Marie Pacelli
100 Eight Iron Cir Mulberry,
Florida 33860-9477
April 13, 2016 at 8:39 am, Sasitan White said:
Received the exact email yesterday. She even sent me a copy of her Florida Driver license.
Dear Attorney:Sasitan White,
How are you doing today?
Please i have not heard from you ever since i want this matter to be settle out of court, not be a Litigation matter because our last conversation few days ago letting him know that i am planning in retaining (Your Firm) to pursue my settlement, he stated he knew about your firm.
I want to know your (Fee Agreement) to recover every payment from my ex husband and send me your (Written Agreement) to sign so that we can begin from there.
I am really looking forward for your service to collect these funds from him as soon as we can.
My Regards,
Linda Marie Pacelli
On Mon, Apr 11, 2016 at 9:50 PM, linda marie pacelli wrote:
Dear Attorney:Sasitan White,
Thank you for your prompt response to my inquiry.I am (Linda Marie Pacelli) from (Florida) and my ex-spouse (Keith Francis Pacelli) lives in your jurisdiction.
Please consider my health i should have make phone call but due to my sickness of diagnosed i became having hearing problem that was the reason i cannot make call or receive.
We both married and divorced in Queensland,Australia with 3 children, my ex-husband Keith Francis Pacelli relocated to (Douglas, GA ), he is a business Man, he is into Real Estate Management, we both agreed under a Separation Agreement incorporated, merged into and made part of the court decree for a settlement of child support, spousal support, and medical support of $941,100.00 USD, he has paid me $270,500.00USD but still owing $670,600.00 dollars and the stipulated time for completion of payment has long elapsed.
I am hereby now seeking your legal assistance in collecting the balance or helping me enforce and have him honor the agreement. I will be providing further information upon your request. I have already advised Keith Francis Pacelli my ex husband that i will be retaining a Lawyer, so he knows I am ready to take action to get my balance funds from him.
Let me know the amount of your (Fee Agreement) to recover every payment from my ex husband and draft me your (Written Agreement) to sign so that we can start from there.
See the attached copy of the Separation Agreement, Decree of Divorce and our Marriage Certificate and my Driver License.
My Regards,
Linda Marie Pacelli
100 Eight Iron Cir Mulberry
May 02, 2016 at 12:59 pm, Leigh Beavers said:
Got the same request form Linda Marie Pacelli.