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 is to google it and add the word “scam” – eg, “alice wood scam”.

The following list of names is provided for quick reference if you receive an email which you think might be fraudulent. The list has been compiled from reports received. It is very important to note that most (if not all) of the names may belong to a completely innocent individual whose identity is being used by the scammers. If you receive an email which is purportedly from one of the names below, you should also check the content of the message to see if it contains similar elements to commonly used email scams. Scammers have relatively little imagination and when targeting lawyers they use one of about half a dozen scams.

 

Name	Scam associated with
Alice Wood	Legal representation
Angela Zhang	Trademark ownership
Anthony J Earl	New Zealand house purchase
Brenda Blumenkrantz	Collaborative Law Agreement
Brett Abraham	Litigation of a loan
Crystal Masaru	Collaborative Law Agreement
David Yap Chung	Legal representation
Donna Lynn Chipman	Collaborative Law Agreement
Elizabeth Yamashita	Loan agreement and promissory note
Emmanuel Wilson	New Zealand house purchase
Eric Muller	Litigation of a loan
Gerald Hines	New Zealand house purchase
Hak Wah Lau	Legal representation
Henriet M Kazuo	Collaborative Law Agreement
Isabella Minoru	Collaborative Law Agreement
James Cole	New Zealand house purchase
James Gilliard	Breach of loan agreement
John Becker	New Zealand house purchase
Joseph Gasper	New Zealand house purchase
Kazuo Miyoko	Collaborative Law Agreement
Kiyoshi Yukio	Breach of lease
Linda Kirk	Litigation of a loan
Lynda W Cheng	Collaborative Law Agreement
Marybeth Fordam	Loan agreement and promissory note
Maxwell Logan	Legal representation
Michel Susan Patrick	Collaborative Law Agreement
Mike Garry	New Zealand house purchase
Nan Yhang	Breach of lease
NPI Lease Company Ltd	Breach of lease
Pamela Wong	Breach of lease
Peters Anderson	New Zealand house purchase
Rod Aquino	AMINZ referral
Rupert Murdoch	Business loan
Sanitra Mary Jacob	Loan agreement and promissory note
Sara Mary Berkley (Ms)	Husband acting strangely
Sara Mary Chandis (Mrs)	Husband acting strangely
Sheila Shquingzhou	New Zealand house purchase
Stafford S Mark	Loan agreement and promissory note
Steve Maughan	New Zealand house purchase
Strong Mark	New Zealand house purchase
Susan Robert	Collecting funds from ex-spouse
Terry Cole	New Zealand house purchase
Zaira Hoshiko	Collaborative Law Agreement

 

Features of commonly used scams which target lawyers

AMINZ referral

Sent to AMINZ members and seeks assistance in collecting a debt. Further information here.

Breach of lease

Seeks assistance for breach of lease of equipment “but they have since fallen short of the executed agreement”. Further information here.

Business loan

Seeks assistance in recovering unpaid portion of a loan made to a business or person living in “your jurisdiction”. Futher information here.

Collaborative Law Agreement

Seeks assistance in recovering a matrimonial settlement which is documented by a collaborative law agreement. Further information here.

Husband acting strangely

Seeks assistance in enforcing an agreement to pay alimony. Further information here.

Legal representation

Seeking a lawyer to represent a company doing business (usually) in North America. Further information here.

Litigation of a loan

Wants legal assistance in possible litigation over a loan. Further information here.

Loan agreement and promissory note

Seeks legal assistance in chasing repayment of a well-documented loan. Further information here.

New Zealand house purchase

Seeks assistance with purchase and payment for a house in New Zealand. Further information here.

Trademark ownership

Sent to companies (not lawyers) and issues threats about use and registration of domain names. Further information here.