08/11/2026
BEWARE OF SCAM TARGETING LAW FIRMS AND PROFESSIONAL OFFICES
If someone calls you or your office claiming to be from the fraud department of a trusted bank or financial institution
• Urging immediate action involving one or more accounts and
• Seeking private information such as account passwords,
Do not engage the caller. Hang up and immediately contact the bank or financial institution using a known number you’ve used before or one you can verify independently using a trusted source.
Once a scammer convinces an account holder to provide password and log in information, the scammer can move the money out of the office account and into the scammer’s account.
Unfortunately, this scenario is occurring with increasing frequency.
• The caller ID may actually identify the caller as your bank or a legitimate entity. This is an example of spoofing, a form of social engineering designed to manipulate or trick someone into providing sensitive information.
• The caller will stress the danger of doing n0thing and the need to move quickly. This is intended to trigger an emotional response and create an environment where the receiving party is unable to think carefully and react cautiously.
A busy office is a place where solving everyday problems with speed and efficiency is valued and encouraged; however,
• Someone calling from a bank fraud department claiming a breach of security and seeking account log in and password information is extraordinary and the caller should not be trusted.
• With impersonation becoming more common and criminals becoming more sophisticated, a party receiving such a call needs to stop, think, and realize that this could be a fraud attempt.
The most effective way to prevent the theft of funds and address a possible breach of security at the bank is to hang up the phone and call the bank using a known number that the office uses to contact the bank on a regular basis, or use one obtained from a trusted source, such as the bank’s website.
If you suspect a scammer has acquired account credentials or stolen account funds, contact the bank immediately and report the incident to the FBI at ic3.gov. Offices have been able to recover stolen funds if the theft is discovered and reported soon after it occurs.
After reading this Alert, please share the Alert with everyone else in your office.
