by Tim Lemieux

barking dog

[First posted May 2019. Updated January 2020]

Several lawyers have notified us of a new variation on the old bad cheque debt collection scam. This scenario involves a dog bite, and the promise of an insurer to pay a settlement for medical expenses. It even comes with gruesome dog bite photos that were apparently taken from a British newspaper story.

As with all bad cheque scams, it 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 other party (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 Cybercrime and Bad Cheque Scams Fraud Fact Sheet lists the red flags of a bogus legal matter that is really a fraud.

Below is a sample of an email received by the lawyers. Other names associated with the scam include Rick Ferguson, Cesar Justicia, Danny Haupt, Aaron Diaz, Anthony Grinner, Mundo Edgardo, Carlos Raul and Santos L. Opelanio

From: Eddie barrington [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: April 26, 2019 8:38 AM
Subject: Dog Bite Case

Dear Counsel ,

I will need your service in a personal injury case(Dog Bite).

Please let me know if you handle such cases, so I can send you more details.

Regards,

Eddie Barrington

Replying to the email brought this colourful response:

Thanks for your response.

This incident happened on October 16th, 2018 while on I was on holiday in Saint John, NB with my beautiful wife Rebecca. , when I was attacked by a neighbor Pit bull dog. Am from Bahamas, 2013 i got a job in Dragados Offshore México, since 2013 i base in Mexico.

I was in our Un-fenced back yard getting wood from the wood pile when the dog approached me. So it was a great surprise when this Vicious dog, without provocation or any warning signs at all, attacked my face, biting me and causing gaping wounds near my left eye and and leg and serious scratches to the skin around my eyes (See attached photo). I was standing right next to the wood pile when it happened, as were the owners of the dog who could not control his dog.

With Hands clutching my eye as blood pours from my face completely soaking my clothes , I was rushed to hospital in an ambulance, where I had immediate treatment to stop the bleeding.

It was agreed then with the owner of the dog for a settlement, they agreed to pay the cost of treatment and the out of court settlement amounting to the sum of $120,500.00.

I went to New York for plastic surgery. Despite first-rate treatment at the Hospital, I will be forever scarred my face don’t look the way it was before.

During my surgery I spent a total of $21,300.00 out of my pocket because the dog owner has failed to pay the settlement of $120,500.00 as promised.

I entered this agreement then without a legal representative as I was assured that all costs will be paid in full.

I need your help to get the dog owner and his insurer to pay Settlement sum.

Please note am already in the field, i can’t call or receive call, Let me know when we can speak, i will make myself available.

Categories: Fraud Prevention