Sixteen U.S. firms have notified us that they received an email from the purported Gerhard Wilkens looking to retain them with regards to a commercial debt collection. This is a classic bad cheque scam that presents as legal matter requiring the assistance of a lawyer. In this scam lawyers will be duped into wiring real… Read More »
Categories: Debt Collection FraudLawyer 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.
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Recent Fraud Warnings
Employee injury settlement scam using the name Chevardiere Jacqueline
Four lawyers in the U.S. have notified us that they’ve been contacted by the purported Chevardiere Jacqueline with regards to an employee injury settlement scam. This is a classic 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… Read More »
Categories: Employee Injury / Dismissal FraudCommercial debt collection scam using the names Anna Styrud and Diamyd Medical AB
[Updated March 2014] 65 lawyers in Ontario and the U.S. have notified us that they received an email from the purported Anna Styrud of Diamyd Medical AB looking to retain them with regards to a commercial debt collection. This is a classic bad cheque scam that presents as legal matter requiring the assistance of a… Read More »
Categories: Debt Collection FraudCommercial debt collection scam using the names Osamu Mizuno and Adtec Engineering
An Ontario firm notified us that they received an email from the purported Osamu Mizuno of Adtec Engineering looking to retain them with regards to a commercial debt collection. This is a classic bad cheque scam that presents as legal matter requiring the assistance of a lawyer. In this scam lawyers will be duped into… Read More »
Categories: Debt Collection FraudReal estate bad cheque scam using the names Kenneth Hang and John Adams
Two firms, one in Illinois and one in Florida, appear to have been targeted by a real estate deposit bad cheque scam by the purported Kenneth Hang. Hang claims to be working on an offshore oil rig in China. In this type of scam the fraudster pretends interest in a property (often contacting a realtor… Read More »
Categories: Real Estate FraudBusiness loan collection scam using the name Michael Calderone
Two U.S. lawyers have notified us that they received an email from the purported Michael Calderone looking to retain them with regards to a breach of a business loan agreement. This is a classic bad cheque scam that presents as legal matter requiring the assistance of a lawyer. In this scam lawyers will be duped… Read More »
Categories: Business Loan FraudCommercial debt collection scam using the name Roland Peyton
Two Ontario lawyers have notified us that they received an email from the purported Roland Peyton looking to retain them with regards to a commercial debt collection. This is a classic bad cheque scam that presents as legal matter requiring the assistance of a lawyer. In this scam lawyers will be duped into wiring real… Read More »
Categories: Debt Collection FraudCommercial debt collection scam using the name Alan Watson
Two Ontario lawyers have notified us that they received an email from the purported Alan Watson looking to retain them with regards to a commercial debt collection. This is a classic bad cheque scam that presents as legal matter requiring the assistance of a lawyer. In this scam lawyers will be duped into wiring real… Read More »
Categories: Debt Collection Fraud