The VLW Blog

The Virginia State Bar is posting a warning about an e-mail scam targeting Virginia lawyers.

According to the advisory, a law firm is approached through e-mail with what appears to be a legitimate business opportunity.  Almost always, the deal eventually involves an apparently valid check being deposited into the firm’s trust account, with payment then being made to the “client.”  As we reported several months ago, the sting occurs when the deposited check is identified as counterfeit, often weeks after deposit.

A Virginia law firm lost about $250,000 to such a scheme and others were almost vicitmized, according to reports from insurers and the VSB.  A Tennessee firm lost $400,000 according to this ABA Journal report.

By Peter Vieth