text: A approaches a law firm and says that they’ve negotiated a settlement in principle with B, and can the law firm please eyeball the final agreement. The settlement will be about $280k and you can keep $5k for 1 or 2 hours of work. A is to be paid by wire upon receipt of a certified check from B made out to the law firm. The certified check arrives and the law firm deposits it. The scam depends on the hope that the firm will mistakenly think that a certified check is like depositing cash, and will therefore immediately wire the balance to A. However, the certified check is forged.
  Note: This scam is going on presently, while this post from the North Carolina Bar Association indicates that it has been around since at least May 2008 (and is of course a variation of the ‘classic’ bank frauds). The post contains practice pointers and red flags.
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  About the Author
  Martin Schwimmer is a partner in Leason Ellis, an IP law boutique in White Plains, NY. His practice is concentrated in the area of U.S. and international trademark law and domain name counseling, prosecution and litigation.