Urgent Notice to Debtors

Phone scammers are targeting consumers in several states, using personal information from bankruptcy filings and posing as attorneys to get intended victims to immediately wire money to satisfy a debt.

Scammers use software to “spoof” the Caller ID system so the call appears to be originating from the phone line of the consumer’s bankruptcy attorney. Typically the calls come late in the evening or during non-business hours to make it difficult for intended victims to verify the call by contacting their attorney. Consumers receiving this kind of call are advised to hang up and contact their bankruptcy attorney as soon as possible. Do not provide any personal or financial account information to the caller. Do not send funds to the caller by any means.

The National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys issued a warning that “Under no circumstances would a bankruptcy attorney or staff member telephone a client and ask for a wire transfer immediately to satisfy a debt. Nor would the bankruptcy attorney and staff ever threaten arrest if a debt isn’t paid.”

Warnings about this scam have been posted at  at www.uscourts.gov