Posted on 03/06/2010 5:44:06 AM PST by deport
NEWS 8 INVESTIGATES
DALLAS — Clever con games apparently aren't just the stuff of movies.
Three Texas lawyers were all targets of a sophisticated scheme using distance, the Internet and the quirks of American law to steal money. While two of them escaped, one did not.
It started with a cashier's check over $100,000. It was the most enticing piece in a con game designed to deprive ethical lawyers of their money.
"It's funny," said Raul Loya, an attorney. "You would think that lawyers would be smarter, but it's funny they fall victim."
All three attorneys lived in different cities and worked at separate firms, but they all got the same e-mail purporting to be from prospective clients in Hong Kong.
"I got back, I looked at the check, looked authentic [and] deposited the check," said Sheldon Goldstein, an attorney......
The fake company has a web site and an officer signs a contract with the lawyer for his services. Documents arrive via courier.
Then, in each case, a check arrived for over $100,000. Goldstein told the company his retainer was only $3,000.
"She wrote back and said just take out your $3,000 and send me the balance," he said.
That was exactly what he did..........
........A secret service agent told him he wasn't the only one.
"He's got several law firms involved with over $23 million that have been taken away from," he said.
end snips
Video at link
(Excerpt) Read more at wfaa.com ...
Both of them?
Both of them?
Naw......... we are down to one the other moved out of state. lol
Greed would have been keeping the $100,000.00. It was giving the excess money back that got them in trouble.
You are right. She is deluding herself. Fortunately she doesn’t have that much to lose. There is only so much money she can send him.
She's not a lawyer. Or an economist. Or a banker. She's just smart.
In very poor english they said they were very interested in the equipment and the price was right and they wanted to hurry up and do the deal so no one else would get it. But since the buyer was leaving town, he wanted my contact information so his “agent” could arrange to bring me a cashiers check.
So I responded to his email and told him my name was John Hoover and for my phone number I gave him the number of the local FBI office.
An old chestnut, but misleadingly incomplete.
You can't con an honest man by an appeal to greed.
I don't think so!
One of my neighbors is an old lady on SS, recently widowed and left with a ton of bills. She’s doing crafts like microwave potato bakers, embroidery etc, to stay afloat. She recently made a sale for about $100 worth of stuff and got a cashier’s check for $1,000. When the buyer was contacted (via email) he said just return the overage with the goods. I did everything but jump through a flaming hoop warning her and thankfully she listened. She did return the check and said “Send the right amount and I’ll ship the same day.” Never heard from the creep again.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.