Scammers continue to target Ohio attorneys – including solo practitioners and attorneys in small firms. We need you to remain vigilant!

There are two things to know about these scams: You will be contacted by someone you don’t know to process a check and once you receive the check, they will pressure you to WIRE the funds out as soon as possible.

If you answer YES to any of these:

• I don’t know the person who contacted me or the purported referral source.
• I was asked to facilitate the funds transfer without performing any legal work.
• I did not speak to any other individual within the company at a number cross-referenced with the company’s real contact information.
• The “client” pressured me to complete the wire transfer very soon after receiving the check.

If you answered YES any of the questions above, then here’s what you can do to prevent yourself from falling prey to this recurring threat:

• Stay informed! Read your weekly OBLIC Alerts and check out the National Institute of Science and Technology’s Small Business Cybersecurity Corner.
• Research the individuals and businesses involved carefully:
  • review and cross-reference with other publicly available information (e.g. Clerk of Courts, Secretary of State Business filings, etc.)
  • do the names, emails, and phone numbers match the company website and what you’ve received from the “client?”
• Use telephone numbers from resources other than emails from the “client” to confirm that the transaction is legitimate.
• Establish at the outset of the representation that wire transfers will not be performed at all or until there is confirmation that the issuing bank honored the check, that the funds are in the account and available for distribution, and that the receiving bank cannot reverse the deposit.
• Don’t succumb to pressure to expedite the wire transfer.
• If you do engage in a wire transfer, review the Outgoing Wire Transfer Request form from your bank CAREFULLY and answer honestly! This may help your banker alert you to possible fraud.

Don’t be the next victim. To learn more about this scam, we recommend the following:

• Attorney Trust Account Scam Promises High-Dollar Commissions on Medical Equipment Purchases, FBI Public Service Announcement, June 30, 2022
• Lawyer Beware: Four Tips to Avoid Email Scams Targeting Lawyers, American Bar Association
• OBLIC Alert: Ho Ho Ho! Holiday Reminder
• OBLIC Alert: Social Engineering and the Fraudulent Check Scam

Call OBLIC to report an incident and determine if there is coverage.

Remember – If it seems too good to be true – IT IS! Don’t hesitate to call our experienced Loss Prevention team if you’d like to discuss. We’re here to help.

This information is made available solely for loss prevention purposes, which may include claim prevention techniques designed to minimize the likelihood of incurring a claim for legal malpractice. This information does not establish, report, or create the standard of care for attorneys. The material is not a complete analysis of the topic and should not be construed as providing legal advice. Please conduct your own appropriate legal research in this area. If you have questions about this email’s content and are an OBLIC policyholder, please contact us using the information above.