Posted June 14, 20212:16 pm
Legal Aid learned of a recent scam from the Legal Services Corporation, and we are sharing details here as a courtesy to our client community.
Another legal aid program in the United States had a client who was nearly the victim of a retainer fee scam. The client received a letter in the mail, purportedly from the local legal aid. The letter contained the legal aid organization logo at the top and instructed the client to remit payment to the grantee at a P.O. Box that is not affiliated with the organization. The client’s name, address, and case number were included within the letter.
The client contacted the legal aid attorney assigned to her case, who informed her that the program never charges for legal services. The attorney immediately informed the legal aid executive director, the state’s Attorney General’s Office, and the local police department.
Because of this, we worry that other legal aid clients nationwide may be targeted by similar schemes. The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland provides free civil legal aid and never charges clients for legal services.