Scams have been on the rise for decades. In the past, it was door-to-door sales, grandchildren scams or fake phone calls. Today it is mainly phishing emails. Anyone who spends a lot of time on the Internet and uses their email address there will probably have already received one of these.
Unfortunately, not all of these emails end up in our spam folder. Well-designed phishing emails in particular always make it into regular email inboxes and thus lead to the success desired by the sender.
Fake cease-and-desist letters: Law firms also affected by the scam
Law firms are now also affected by the scam. The fraudsters are currently not only sending out fake warnings by email, but also by letter in the name of well-known law firms such as Schutt Waettke, Waldorf Frommer and SKW Schwarz.
However, the warning emails sent are a clear attempt at fraud. All three law firms have already confirmed the inaccuracy of the emails.
Fake warning letters appear professional and genuine at first glance
In the fake warning letters, the addressees are informed that their internet connection has been used for the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted works. The letters contain specific facts, IP addresses, dates and the network name. This often makes them look very professional and genuine to the layman.
At the end of the letter, the addressees are then asked to pay a large sum. In such phishing emails, further information is often supposedly available via an attached link. However, just like the attachments, this link does not lead to further information, but to a Trojan that is supposed to track down personal data on your computer.
How do I recognize fake warnings?
As a rule, genuine warning letters are not (exclusively) sent by email, but quite normally by post. Accordingly, these are also individualized and contain the name and address of the person being warned as well as a file number. In comparison, fake warnings are usually not addressed to a specific person, but are very general: “Dear Sir or Madam, […]”
In addition, the sender’s email address usually does not match the email address of the “warning law firm”, but is fictitious. The attached link is also often false and is intended to persuade the addressee to enter confidential personal data on a website. Attached documents with alleged information are often no further information, but contain a computer virus (Trojan) that is supposed to track down your personal data.
Attention! Do not open any links or attached documents
We recommend that all affected recipients always take a close look at the warning letters. However, under no circumstances should the attached links or attached documents be opened. If you are still unsure, you can also call the law firms to make sure that the documents are genuine. To be on the safe side, do not use the telephone numbers printed on the letters but those given in public sources.
However, even in the case of genuine warnings, it is often advisable to take a close look at the warnings and have them checked by a lawyer. This is because the pre-formulated declarations are often too general and more far-reaching than actually necessary. In addition, the legal obligations are often incomprehensible to the layperson and not explained in detail, which can quickly lead to a further breach of the signed cease-and-desist declaration.