NYSIF Warns of Legal Package Hoax

June 2, 2010

New York State Insurance Fund Chief Deputy Executive Director Francine James warned the New York legal community of a hoax involving NYSIF that has victimized several New York City law firms recently.

The scam involves a person who has called approximately two dozen law firms in the past 30 days, identifying himself only by first name, usually “Jimmy, ” and saying he is visiting from out-of-state, usually Maryland.

The caller claims to have found a package on the subway, a US Post Office flat rate envelope addressed to the law firm from the New York State Insurance Fund. The package appears to be of some weight, but is nothing more than multiple identical copies of a NYSIF certificate of insurance.

You should be aware that the package and its contents do not originate with NYSIF, and that the envelope and any correspondence contained therein do not have anything to do with official NYSIF business.

The caller offers to deliver the package personally to the law firm, whereupon the caller presents a taxi receipt. Victimized law firms have reimbursed the caller for the taxi fare, up to $80 round trip in some instances, and, on occasion, given him a reward for delivering the package.

NYSIF anti-fraud investigators advise that law firms contacted in such a manner ask the caller for a first and last name, suggest that the caller place the package in the mail, and do not reimburse the caller for any expenses until determining the contents of the package.

This matter is under investigation by the New York County District Attorney’s Office and NYSIF’s Division of Confidential Investigations. If you are a victim of this scam, please call NYSIF’s fraud hotline at 1-877-WCNYSIF (926-9743).