Fake law firm website uses real lawyers' pictures to fleece consumers, bar lawsuit says
The Houston Bar Association has filed a lawsuit seeking to shut down a fake law firm website that is using the pictures of real lawyers in an apparent scam targeting elderly people.
The fake law firm is called Walsh & Padilla, and it purports to offer estate planning services, the Houston Chronicle reports.
In reality, the website appears to be operated from South Africa, and it uses photos of lawyers taken from real law firm websites, the suit says.
The scammers send letters to elderly people informing them that they will be receiving life insurance proceeds after they supply bank account numbers and other financial details. One person had $14,000 taken from a bank account by the scammers, the suit says.
The bar obtained a court order to shut down the website, but the bar was working to locate the web server and to serve the restraining order.
The bar has also filed a criminal complaint with the Harris County District Attorney’s office.
