The Massachusetts Bar Association urges Massachusetts attorneys
to be vigilant about recent scam reports involving IOLTA
accounts.
There have been numerous e-mail messages sent bearing a forged
return address. The messages allege that the recipient's IOLTA
account has insufficient funds to pay an outstanding check and
includes a .zip file attachment containing additional information
and malware.
There is a strong possibility that these messages are part
of a broader phishing attack targeted to legal
professionals.
The full text of a message includes:
"Please see the attached Iolta report for 7448-1996. We received a
check request in the amount of $19,521.42 for the above referenced
file. However, the attached report reflects a $0 balance. At your
earliest convenience, please advise how this request is to be
funded."