Several law firms on the Island have been cheated out of a substantial amount of funds after falling victim to expert scams, The Royal Gazette can reveal.A number of legal firms are understood to have been approached by scam artists in a bid to swindle them out of as much as $200,000.Though it's understood that some lawyers have actually responded and suffered losses, no lawsuits have been filed in respect to the scam.Justin Williams, vice president of the Bermuda Bar Association, when approached by this paper yesterday, said: “The Bermuda Bar Association has been informed of the scam by the Bermuda Police Service and has issued advisories to all Bermuda attorneys accordingly.”The professional level scheme unfolds when lawyers are contacted by e-mail from someone needing legal advice and representation.The prospective client then sends paperwork that appears legitimate, and the lawyer receives the deposit which in some cases is as high as $200,000.The firm is later asked to send a small sum of money back to the alleged client and send the remainder of funds to a beneficiary.The law firm's account is then credited the full balance prior to the cheque clearing in the case of international cheques this takes 21 days.Once the money has left the firm's account they learn the cheque has bounced and have to bear the brunt of the loss.It is believed that in these instances lawyers have not agreed to represent the client based solely on the e-mail, but after seeking additional information and receiving information that appeared to be legitimate.The scam e-mails are understood to address all kinds of legal issues, including property and conveyance.Mr Williams would not name the law firms affected nor would he say how many lawyers had fallen prey to the scam.It is understood the police have been in contact with some firms since being made aware of the issue.A Police spokesman yesterday reissued an advisory to the public to remain vigilant regarding unsolicited e-mails or correspondence of a financial nature.“In a typical scenario an unknown individual will send a cheque for an alleged legitimate purpose to the recipient and then require a portion of the funds sent back shortly afterwards to cover expenses.“However, it is likely that the cheque is fake and any money sent will be lost. Local businesses are also being targeted and should always ensure that due diligence is done on prospective new clients.“Once again, local residents and businesses are advised to be extremely cautious when sending funds to persons who have contacted them unexpectedly, especially via the Internet or to persons whose identity cannot be properly established. The Financial Crime Unit can be contacted on 295-0011.”If you or someone you know has fallen victim to this scam e-mail news[AT]royalgazette.bm.