The FBI Minneapolis Field Office, in coordination with the Internet Crime Complaint Center and the Office of Private Sector, warn of an attorney trust account scam involving acquisition of medical equipment. The scam has resulted in approximately $2 million in losses to date.
The method used by the criminal actors in the attorney trust account scam:
- A criminal actor posing as a would-be client contacts an attorney either listed on a professional networking site or claiming to have found their information on such sites, requesting their services in reviewing a lease, loan, or purchase agreement for medical equipment. The attorney is also requested to serve as an escrow agent for the client.
- An individual posing as a broker representing a client emails the attorney an offer letter, and sends a cashier’s check by mail.
- The cashier’s check for settlement is received and deposited into the attorneys (or firm’s) trust account.
- The client then requests the attorney wire transfer a portion of the funds from the trust account to another account, most often located in Mexico.
- After the funds are wired as directed (some attorneys doing so before the cashier check has cleared), the attorney learns the check was fraudulent, and is liable to the bank for the funds, if not recovered.
The scam is successful for several assumed reasons:
- The perpetrators entice lawyers with potential…
