Risk Management & Claims Prevention
Would you take the bait in a phishing scam?
“Phishing” is one of the most common scams that cyber criminals use because it can produce spectacular results with very little effort or expense on the part of the hacker. Phishing involves the use of an email, text message or phone call that appears to come from a trusted source or institution, vendor or company,… Read More »
Categories: Fraud PreventionDon’t accept every file that walks in the door
At the risk of sounding like a self-help book designed to help you find Mr. or Ms. Right, we’d like to remind you (the day before Valentine’s Day, no less!) that being selective about the clients you represent is an important claims-prevention strategy. Depending on your area of law and how established your practice, you… Read More »
Categories: Biggest Claims RisksPrison sentence for fraudster who targeted lawyers in bad cheque scams
We were recently made aware of a September 2013 news release from the FBI, stating that a lawyer-targetting fraudster had pleaded guilty and received hefty fines and a prison sentence. Nice to see a victory in the struggle against online scams. The number of law enforcement agencies involved shows how international these scams are, and… Read More »
Categories: Fraud PreventionFive good reasons to avoid “legalese”
The funny thing about legalese – unnecessarily complex or archaic legal language – is that the closer you get to it, the less visible it is. Most lawyers find that they occasionally use words that can confuse or alienate non-lawyers. The arguments for replacing archaic legal terms with plain language are familiar to most of… Read More »
Categories: Communication ErrorsFive client types to watch out for – there be dangers in these relationships
This article by Kathleen Waters, president and CEO of LAWPRO, originally appeared in the August 23, 2013 issue of The Lawyers Weekly published by LexisNexis Canada Inc. Fraud attempts come in many different forms. Some schemes (often the more transparent ones) rely on a “volume” approach: target as many lawyers as possible in the hope… Read More »
Categories: Fraud PreventionBeware heavy-handed collection calls by fraudsters impersonating Ontario lawyers
An Ontario lawyer has reported to us that fraudsters have impersonated his firm in order to make threatening collection phone calls to members of the public on behalf of a loan company. The name of the fake firm closely resembles the real firm name, and the callers make reference to the town the real firm… Read More »
Categories: Fraud PreventionpracticePRO Resourec: Managing the Lawyer/Client Relationship
Lawyer/client communication-related errors are the biggest cause of malpractice claims. By cost and count, more than one-third of LAWPRO claims involved this type of error. Most claims arise out of fundamental failures in the lawyer/client relationship – failures such as inadequate client-case screening, poor communication and insufficient systems, trails and record-keeping. The Managing the Lawyer/Client… Read More »
Categories: Biggest Claims RisksLAWPRO Magazine article: 15 Tips for Preventing Identity Theft and Online Fraud
Cyber criminals and identity thieves want to steal your personal information to commit fraud. They may try to get a credit card in your name or to access funds in your bank account. On top of directly losing money, your credit status can be damaged and it can take a great deal of time and… Read More »
Categories: Fraud Prevention, Technology