Email scam information

22 February 2012
By NZLS

Take care with Richard Gibson, Energex Global and Texan oil wells

New Zealand lawyers are warned to be careful with phone calls from Australia and (supposedly) Texas in the United States. The callers appear to be targeting lawyers with an offer of oil partnership investment opportunities. Information available on the internet indicates that the company does exist, but there may have ... More about Take care with Richard Gibson, Energex Global and Texan oil wells.

8 February 2012
By NZLS

Names to watch out for (updated 8 February 2012)

Email scammers use a variety of names and identities as they attempt to defraud their targets. Some names appear to be used because the scammer has falsified or stolen identity documents. Names are also quickly changed if information is circulated about the scam. A good quick check for any name ... More about Names to watch out for (updated 8 February 2012).

8 February 2012
By NZLS

Gerald Hines’ wife is getting better after her fatal accident

Gerald Hines starts off well in his request for assistance with purchase of a property in New Zealand. However, anyone who responds to his initial email (and this is not recommended) will receive the distressing news that the delay in responding has been because his wife has had a fatal ... More about Gerald Hines’ wife is getting better after her fatal accident.

24 January 2012
By NZLS

Pamela Wong wants help with a machinery lease

This bogus email is being sent to many New Zealand lawyers at the moment. Showa Leasing Company Limited 603 Suzhou Gold River International Tower #35 Shishan Road Suzhou New District, China Sir, We solicit your experience regarding a breach of lease, that was duly executed, involving us, and a customer of ours ... More about Pamela Wong wants help with a machinery lease.

11 January 2012
By NZLS

Names to watch out for (updated 11 January 2012)

11 January 2012
By NZLS

Sara Berkley’s husband is acting strangely

This seeks assistance in chasing alimony (which the husband has kindly agreed to pay). Dear Counsel, I was Mrs. Sara Mary Chandis now Ms. Sara Mary Berkley. I am from England but present living in Hong Kong. I was married to an American for eight years and we both ... More about Sara Berkley’s husband is acting strangely.

9 January 2012
By NZLS

Kiyoshi Yukio and breach of lease

This scam has been reported in New Zealand, Canada and the United States. The name “Nan Yhang” has also been used. Sir, We ask of your Services regarding a breach of lease, that was duly guaranteed, involving us, and a customer of ours in your country. We secured the equipment ... More about Kiyoshi Yukio and breach of lease.

8 December 2011
By NZLS

Domain Name registration inquiry from Angela Zhang

Lawyers may receive inquiries from clients with new startup businesses who receive the following email. This is a long-standing scam, but a lack of knowledge of the law relating to domain names and intellectual property can cause a few nervous moments. Further information on the scam and others like it ... More about Domain Name registration inquiry from Angela Zhang.

1 December 2011
By NZLS

Names to watch out for

Email scammers use a variety of names and identities as they attempt to defraud their targets. Some names appear to be used because the scammer has falsified or stolen identity documents. Names are also quickly changed if information is circulated about the scam. The following list of names is provided ... More about Names to watch out for.

23 November 2011
By NZLS

Steve Maughan also wants to purchase a New Zealand house

This brings a new name into the house purchase email scam (see Mike Garry). The example below shows how scammers can obtain contact details from reputable online directory services. Keep using the service; delete the email. From: Mr Steve <stevemaughan18@yahoo.co.uk> Date: 19 November 2011 3:52:07 AM NZDT To: [ ... More about Steve Maughan also wants to purchase a New Zealand house.

18 November 2011
By NZLS

Loan agreement and promissory note: Elizabeth Yamashita

This scam follows the usual pattern and includes a false passport and a “loan agreement and promissory note” allegedly produced by a Japanese law firm between two Japanese nationals with addresses in Japan – but all helpfully in English and with the amount of the loan in Euros. The email address ... More about Loan agreement and promissory note: Elizabeth Yamashita.

10 November 2011
By NZLS

Top of the day from Anthony J Earl

This is a variation of the Mike Garry house purchase scam. From: Anthony john Earl [mailto:anthonyjohnearl@yahoo.co.uk] Subject: ASSISTANCE PLEASE!!! Hello, Top of the day to you.I am looking to buy a property in New Zealand and would be glad if you can assist me in ... More about Top of the day from Anthony J Earl .

9 November 2011
By NZLS

Brett Abraham chases Eric Muller for a debt

This scam is headed “Legal Representation” and would follow the usual course if allowed to progress. Hello Counsel, I am inquiring about the possibility of your firm representing me in the litigation of a loan matter. Debtor: Eric Muller Amount: $288,000.00 Amount Paid: $80,000 Balance $208,000.00 plus 7.75% annual interest. If you or your ... More about Brett Abraham chases Eric Muller for a debt.

8 November 2011
By NZLS

Mike Garry wants to purchase a house in New Zealand

This scam is a new approach which is aimed specially at New Zealand property lawyers. Don’t be fooled by the “passport page” which the scammer may send. The emails are reproduced below (all with their tell-tale bad English). This is definitely a scam. The name “Mike Garry” (the full ... More about Mike Garry wants to purchase a house in New Zealand.

27 October 2011
By NZLS

Maxwell Logan of BP Global Oil: This is definitely a scam

The following email has been sent to a number of New Zealand lawyers. The scam was first reported in Canada in 2009 (http://www.oba.org/En/News/Main/NewsDetails.aspx?no=NEWS09172009-3843-1E). From: Mrs Alice Wood [mailto:joseimf@mail2007.com] Sent: Thursday, 27 October 2011 11:21 AM Subject: Request for ... More about Maxwell Logan of BP Global Oil: This is definitely a scam.

3 October 2011
By NZLS

Kazuo Miyoko: I want to hire your services!

This is a reasonably long-standing scam which quickly morphs into a version of the Collaborative Law Agreement scam (further details here). Two things are worth noting: The name Kazuo Miyoko has been used widely in email scams targeting lawyers. This is probably because the scammers have either forged or stolen ... More about Kazuo Miyoko: I want to hire your services!.

20 September 2011
By NZLS

Lawyer abroad “loses” all credit cards and money

A New Zealand lawyer has fallen victim to a scam which involved hacking into his gmail account (achieved by sending him an email “from Google” which asked him for account details, threatening account closure if he did not respond within 72 hours). The account was then used to send the following ... More about Lawyer abroad “loses” all credit cards and money.

7 September 2011
By NZLS

The Attention Counselor Scam

This email scam is a variation of the Collaborative Law Agreement scam. The only real difference is that the “client” is resident in London. Subject: Attention Counselor, Attention Counselor, I am Michel Susan Patrick. I am contacting this firm in regards to my settlement with my separated husband (Richard F. ... More about The Attention Counselor Scam.

26 August 2011
By NZLS

Features of email scams targeting lawyers

This is a quick guide to some of the features of emails sent by scammers to lawyers or law firms in New Zealand. The obvious problem is that a genuine email may also contain these features. Check the details of the scams we list on my.lawsociety; Do an internet ... More about Features of email scams targeting lawyers.

24 August 2011
By NZLS

Collaborative Law Participation Agreement

Version 1, initial Email Dear Solicitor, My name is Zaira Hoshiko. I am a contacting your law firm in regards to a divorce settlement with my ex husband (Allan Hoshiko) who resides in your jurisdiction. I am currently in Japan. We had a settlement agreement for him to pay $950,500.00 plus legal ... More about Collaborative Law Participation Agreement .

16 August 2011
By NZLS

Watch out for James Gilliard of South Carolina

New Zealand lawyers are still being targeted by an email scam which purportedly seeks recovery of a debt from a New Zealand company. The email says it has been sent by a “James D. Gilliard” of South Carolina, a state in the United States. Sometimes the email is accompanied by ... More about Watch out for James Gilliard of South Carolina.

12 July 2011
By NZLS

PBX system hacking

There are reports of hackers gaining access to large law firms’ PBX systems and using one of its phone lines to route through international calls at charge to the firm. A private branch exchange (PBX) is a telephone exchange that serves a particular business or office, as opposed to one ... More about PBX system hacking.

12 July 2011
By NZLS

Repeat of email scam with passport identification

Email scammers targeting New Zealand law firms are now providing the firms with a scanned copy of an passport in an attempt to verify themselves. In a recent example of the scam, a scanned copy of an American passport was provided when the lawyer was asked to assist ... More about Repeat of email scam with passport identification.

12 July 2011
By NZLS

“Internal Revenue Service” “Notice”

This clumsy and short email appears to be sent from service@ird.govt.nz and is headed with “Verify your billing address” in the subject line. New Zealand lawyers and law firms are among the organisations which have been targeted with this email. Any credibility built up by the genuine-looking ... More about “Internal Revenue Service” “Notice”.

6 July 2011
By NZLS

Breach of loan agreement - Variation with Photo ID

The Initial Contact The contact is made with an email which is sent to a named New Zealand lawyer from someone living in South Carolina, United States. The title in the Subject line is Re: Possible Representation. As usual, several phrases in the email indicate that it has been prepared ... More about Breach of loan agreement - Variation with Photo ID.

7 June 2011
By NZLS

Email scam checklist for lawyers

Based on information reported by members of the legal profession and its own investigations, the New Zealand Law Society has produced a short checklist of questions which lawyers should ask when they receive an emailed request for legal services from a hitherto-unknown sender: Where does the email originate from? Is ... More about Email scam checklist for lawyers.

31 January 2011
By NZLS

AMINZ referral email scam

This involves an email sent to members of the Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand (AMINZ). The email is sent from a gmail account from a “Rod Aquino” and seeks assistance in collecting a debt. Like many lawyer scams the intention is for the target to agree to collect ... More about AMINZ referral email scam.

31 January 2011
By NZLS

Email scams still target lawyers

The New Zealand Law Society is warning lawyers to watch out for an email scam which involves payment of a fradulent cheque for a “matrimonial settlement” into law firm trust accounts. The scam, which is a variation on a longstanding confidence trick, was first noticed in New Zealand in mid-2010, ... More about Email scams still target lawyers.

31 January 2011
By NZLS

The Business Loan email scam

This scam starts with initial contact from a Hong Kong email address. The contact is made by someone calling themselves “Rupert Murdoch”. The initial email (from rupert1c@yahoo.com.hk) is headed “Legal Representative”. One example reads as follows: “Hi Counsel, “I provided a business loan of $578,000 to an ... More about The Business Loan email scam.

31 January 2011
By NZLS

Police advice of email scam targeting lawyers

"The NZ Police Financial Intelligence Unit wishes to advise of a variation of a common scam that now appears to be targeting law firms. In the last few months we have received fraud complaints from law firms which stem from forged cheques being received." For more information download ... More about Police advice of email scam targeting lawyers.

1 November 2010
By NZLS

Email scam texts

Email scams still target lawyers Email scams aimed at New Zealand lawyers continue to appear in in-boxes. The following two emails are presented as examples of how the initial approach is made. My.lawsociety retains the (often quaint) spelling and phraseology in the emails but has removed any identifying features ... More about Email scam texts.

27 October 2010
By NZLS

Offshore cheques in trust accts

Thousands removed from trust account Offshore cheques that get dishonoured may attract a fee of several thousand dollars, as one law firm found out when more than $5,700 was removed from its trust account. Wellington firm Peter C Gilbert is keen to alert practitioners not only to this, but also to ... More about Offshore cheques in trust accts.

27 October 2010
By NZLS

Lawyer email scam warning

NZ lawyers warned to watch for scams New Zealand lawyers are still being targeted with email scams, which ask practitioners or law firms to recover debts from people allegedly residing in New Zealand. A recent variation pretends that the funds are owing from a matrimonial settlement concluded overseas and that ... More about Lawyer email scam warning.