How to Avoid Legal Services Fraud

How to Avoid Legal Services Fraud

Legal services fraud is becoming more sophisticated, with AI and deepfakes making it easier for bad actors to target victims through deceptive websites, social media, texts, and emails.

Why it matters: Falling victim to legal services fraud can result in significant financial loss and the forfeiture of legal rights. Both the public and attorneys are potential victims.

Types of fraud:

  • Unauthorized practice of law (UPL): Nonattorneys offer legal services only licensed attorneys are authorized to provide. Suspended or disbarred attorneys can also engage in UPL.
  • Scams: Individuals or crime rings, sometimes impersonating an actual lawyer or law firm, convince victims to pay for “legal services” and then disappear without providing any service.

Do your homework: Verify that anyone you hire is licensed to perform legal work. Use the State Bar’s Look Up a Lawyer feature to confirm their credentials.

Check then double-check: People sometimes impersonate lawyers. Ensure that the attorney's contact information you have matches what's on the State Bar website and that their license is active. Contact them using the information on the State Bar website, which attorneys are required to keep up to date. 

Too good to be true?

  • Be wary of anyone who rushes you to pay the entire fee immediately particularly if they want you to pay in cash, wire money directly to them, or use an encrypted service like WhatsApp.
  • If there are promises of results that sound too good to be true, take extra care to validate the information provided or consider other options.

Areas of caution: The State Bar has seen particular types of legal services fraud. If you are seeking legal services in one of those areas, additional caution may be appropriate:

  • Immigration consultants: If you are looking for help with an immigration issue and want to hire an immigration consultant rather than an attorney, check this page to understand what an immigration consultant can and cannot do for you. Note: beware of those who call themselves notarios.
  • Homeowners: If you are a homeowner seeking modification of your mortgage loan, or facing foreclosure proceedings, check this page for what you need to know to get legitimate help and avoid being a victim of fraud.
  • Renters: If you are a renter worried about or facing eviction, check this page for what you need to know to get legitimate help and avoid being a victim of fraud.

What the State Bar can do:

Finding trustworthy legal help