DO YOU NEED an expert investigator? Investigative assistance?
point be involved in a wire transfer, to include all attorneys. Initially, the policy should mandate the gathering and verification of contact information from all parties involved at the outset of representation and prohibit the use of any other non-verified contact information during the course of representation.
With that in hand, the most important provision of any such policy would be the implementation of a process that mandates all wiring instructions must be confirmed using the previously verified contact information by way of an out-of-band communication channel. For example, if wiring instructions initially come via email or eFax, use a previously verified cell number to place a call to the relevant party to confirm the accuracy of the information received.
DO YOU NEED an expert investigator? Investigative assistance?
An additional relevant provision might be that all last-minute changes requesting that funds be transferred by a different method or to a different account be treated as highly suspect. The request should never be honored until verified as legitimate after contacting the person purportedly making the request through the use of previously verified contact information. If email security is a concern, another provision might be to require the use of encrypted email or a secure client portal to pass along wiring instructions. The absolute best option might be a provision that requires wiring instructions be delivered in person, for example, by the seller at a closing.
Finally, everyone in the firm should be trained to be suspicious and learn how to spot these kinds of scams. Underscore the necessity of remaining vigilant at all times. Training examples that address how these attacks look today might include the following. Look for inconsistencies with email such as various email addresses in use, different spellings of a name, and be suspicious of any email that comes from a free service such as Gmail or Yahoo. Always carefully check the address of relevant email coming in to make sure it exactly matches the previously verified address in your file. Always question requests for money to be sent to an account that is not in the name of the seller or not in the jurisdiction where the seller is. Be suspicious of requests to wire money when key personnel, such as the attorney in a solo practice, are out of the office or requests that are urgent in nature. And last but not least, remind everyone that just because the grammar and spelling look great, doesn’ t mean the email is legit. Scammers can be quite adept in drafting professionally written email.
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FRANCIS W. GASPER, founder of Gasper Investigations, LLC is an award winning retired FBI Agent, attorney and licensed private investigator located in North Dakota, who specializes in working with attorneys to prepare and engage in complex litigation; clients include corporations and banks addressing fraud, employee malfeasance as well as background reviews.
HIGHLY SKILLED AT CONDUCTING:
• Comprehensive research
• Reviewing large amounts of financial records and data
• Identifying, locating, and interviewing witnesses
• Gathering and summarizing admissible documentary evidence
• Asset searches
CONTACT:
Francis W. Gasper Gasperinvestigations. com frank @ gasperinvestigations. com( 701) 204-1798 or( 914) 584-2225
Private Investigator ND # 588, MN # 2321, IL # 115002658, NY # 1100221129, Member of NY Bar
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