Cyber Fraud and Law Firms: Protecting Your Information

Unfortunately, the use of email scams and “phishing” emails is becoming increasingly common as a way of trying to steal money or personal information from a business’s customers - and it’s not just multinationals and large corporations that are being targeted, law firms are just as susceptible!

In a ‘phishing’ scam, the scammers send emails or text messages pretending to be from a legitimate business.  The message may ask you to click on a link, or download an attachment, which can then install malware on your computer, or direct you to a fake website, that has been specifically designed to steal your personal information.

To avoid falling victim to a phishing scam, you should always be cautious when receiving unsolicited emails or text messages, particularly when they are asking for a payment to be made or account details to be confirmed. 

There are a number of steps you can take to minimise your risk of being scammed if you do receive an unsolicited message or email:

1. First and foremost, avoid clicking any links or downloading any attachments.
2. Check the sender’s email address or phone number in the message to see whether it matches the correct contact information you have for the company. If not, it is more than likely a scam.
3. If you are still unsure, contact the person at the company that you have been dealing with (by phone or by a separate email) to verify whether the email is legitimate before proceeding with any further action.

Protecting Our Clients

At Lamrocks Solicitors we are aware of a sophisticated email scam that has been targeting Australian law firms and their clients in recent months. 

As one of our valued clients, we request that you DO NOT act on any email communication you receive that appears to be from us asking you to deposit money into our account.  If you receive a request to deposit funds or an email asking for payment, please call us on ph: 02 4731 5688 to confirm the details first in person over the telephone.   

Similarly, our bank account details will never change during the course of a transaction, and we will never advise you of a change in our bank details via email.  If you need to check bank account details before making any payments to Lamrocks, please contact us via telephone or visit us at the office to check the account details with us in person.

In addition, if we do receive sensitive personal information from you such as your bank account or credit card details via email, text message or social media, for example during a property transaction, we will contact you in person to confirm the details.

Lamrocks takes the safety and security of our clients’ information very seriously.  If you have any concerns or would like to confirm the legitimacy of an email or text message you receive claiming to be from Lamrocks, please do not hesitate to contact us.