When it comes to being up to date with the latest trends and techniques in law-evasion, lawyers are, by definition, experts. Even they, however, can fall prey to well-disguised cybercrimes, as one New Hampshire barrister has just proven.
The lawyer, who remains anonymous, reportedly lost some $240,000 after falling for an online scam that used fake companies and counterfeit checks to hire him. The counsel deposited the fraudulent check he received, and wired half of the money to his "client." He was then informed that the check was invalid, and realized that his bank account had been emptied. Because he was the one to initially deposit the check, he ended up swallowing the 200-grand loss.
Another lawyer who received a similar e-mail decided to look into the claim, and found that the scam artists used fake stationary to pose as an opposing lawyer who sent the check. Instead of falling for it, though, he alerted the authorities, who are currently investigating his findings. Assistant Attorney General Karen Gorham, however, told the Boston Globe that no arrests have been made as of yet, adding that, "It's very, very difficult to find people in scams like this," For future reference, though, she advised everyone to alert her office if they receive any suspicious checks. "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is," she says. It may be an old adage, but, as this unfortunate lawyer proves, it really can't be emphasized enough.
http://www.switched.com/2010/07/18/online-scammers-take-lawyer-for-240-000/
