Victim Location 97230
Total money lost $5,000
Type of a scam Fake Check/Money Order
A company in Japan contacted me (a lawyer) asking me to represent them in a purchase/sale agreement with a company in Georgia. I sent them a retainer agreement, which was signed and returned to me, and I was asked to work on the purchase agreement where the attorney is also to provide the services of trust account. Shortly, a check arrived for several hundred dollars and they asked me to carry out a wire transfer to the "shippers" for about $200,000, and I was supposed to pull my legal fees from that deposit.
I understand from the authorities that some checks do go through and the attorneys end up sending hundreds of thousands of dollars and even collecting their fees, but the money is actually stolen funds that end up being laundered inadvertently by the lawyers.
The company is Georgia was actually a real company. I spoke with the owner, who is simply being used along with any law firm who falls for the Japan company’s request to issue the trust account fees.