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Lawyer Fraud — Don’t Be Fooled!

To help Ontario lawyers avoid malpractice claims, LAWPRO maintains a list of names used in frauds that target lawyers. These frauds masquerade as legitimate legal matters and they target lawyers in many areas of practice. They are usually built on the premise of the lawyer receiving a payment (e.g. a debt collection, a loan or equipment purchase), which comes in the form of a fake cheque or bank draft. The fraudster client then convinces the lawyer to disburse funds from his or her trust account. They can be very sophisticated and the documents provided can look like the documents you would get on a legitimate matter.

The Law Society of BC’s Lawyer Indemnity Fund also maintains a list of names associated with suspected frauds.

If you have been the target of a fraud, you are invited to report the details to us so that we may assist other lawyers avoid being victimized.

Have a fraud to report? See Report a Fraud.

Report a Fraud


Browse Fraud Categories

Recent Fraud Warnings

Commercial debt collection scam using the names Christopher Maitner & Christopher Metal Fabricating

Two Florida firms have notified us that they received an email from the purported Christopher Maitner of Christopher Metal Fabricating looking to retain them with regards to a commercial debt collection. This appears to be a bad cheque scam that presents as legal matter requiring the assistance of a lawyer. In this scam lawyers will… Read More »

Categories: Debt Collection Fraud

Commercial debt collection scam using the names Miao Zhou and Qingdao Seasun Industrial Supplies

Firms in Michigan, California and Washington have notified us that they received an email from the purported Miao Zhou of Qingdao Seasun Industrial Supplies looking to retain them with regards to a commercial debt collection. This appears to be a bad cheque scam that presents as legal matter requiring the assistance of a lawyer. In… Read More »

Categories: Debt Collection Fraud


Equipment purchase scam using the names Gerhard Dingler and Dingler Baumaschinen GmbH & Co

Firms in Ontario and California have notified us that they received an email from the purported Gerhard Dingler of Dingler Baumaschinen GmbH & Co looking to retain them with regards to assisting on a large commercial purchase & sale. This appears to be a bad cheque scam that presents as legal matter requiring the assistance… Read More »

Categories: Equipment / Inventory Purchase Fraud

Breach of IP agreement scam using the names Tsuyoshi Abe and Yokogawa Electric Corp

Firms in New York, California and Manitoba notified us that they received an email from the purported Tsuyoshi Abe of Yokogawa Electric Corplooking to retain them with regards to a breach of a copyright infection. This appears to be a bad cheque scam that presents as legal matter requiring the assistance of a lawyer. In… Read More »

Categories: Intellectual Property Rights Fraud




Land Acknowledgement

The offices of LAWPRO are located on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, Anishnabeg, Chippewa, Haudenosaunee and Wendat peoples. Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit. LAWPRO respects and acknowledges the histories, languages, knowledge systems, and cultures of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit nations.

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