"Secure Email" Phishing Scams

The State Bar has recently learned of two separate email scams that appear to be targeting lawyers or individuals associated with the legal profession. These emails (one purporting to be from “Jason Goree,” another purporting to be from attorney Mark Aderhold) ask recipients to either open an attached file or click on a link to receive a document. The State Bar has confirmed with both of the purported senders that these emails are not legitimate. If you have received either of these emails, do not click on the included link and do not open any attached file(s).

As a reminder, if you receive an email containing an attachment or asking you to visit an outside internet source that is a) from an unknown sender, or b) concerns some unknown case/transaction, exercise extreme caution in handling such email. When in doubt, contact the purported sender using contact information found outside of the suspicious email to confirm the legitimacy of the email.

The State Bar is presently only aware of these two scams, but there may be more. Lawyers who discover that their email addresses have been compromised or are being used in a phishing scam should contact the State Bar at (919) 828-4620.