The National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys (NACBA) recently sent out an alarming release, urging attorneys to speak to clients about scammers posing as lawyers, targeting their personal information.
The group has issued bulletins and contacted the media about the issue, as courts in Virginia and New Hampshire have begun investigating claims by people who say scammers have obtained their personal information. According to the NACBA, despite its efforts to warn the public about the issue, incidents continue to occur.
The scammers are reportedly posing as bankruptcy lawyers, asking people for information that could be used for identity theft purposes. They allegedly use a specific tool that can trick a person’s caller ID into thinking that they are receiving a phone call from an attorney’s office.
To this point, most calls made by scammers occur after normal law firm business hours, making it difficult for victims to call their actual attorneys following a request. The callers allegedly threaten victims by saying they have unresolved debts that need immediate payment, asking for instant money wire transfers.
Be Wary of Bankruptcy Phone Scammers
If you believe that a phone scammer is targeting you, the NACBA recommends that you immediately hang up on the caller. Our Lewisville bankruptcy attorneys would never approach clients after hours about immediate payments or fund transfers. If you have received such a call, contact our office immediately.
It is sad that scammers are targeting people who are filing for bankruptcy, although this should not dissuade a person from pursuing a case if he or she is struggling with debt.
Remember, Chapter 7 bankruptcy and Chapter 13 bankruptcy are excellent options for people who can no longer pay their bills, who need to discharge or resolve specific debts. These debts can include high medical bills, credit card debt, housing debts and car payments.
We will keep you posted if further news comes out about this bankruptcy phone scam, so continue to follow our blog. You can view the NACBA release by clicking on the source link below.
Source: http://nacbanow.com/2015/11/06/bankruptcy-filers-continue-to-be-targeted-by-scammers/
