Well, I almost got hacked.  I, like many other attorneys in Florida, opened my email one night and had an email entitled, “Florida Bar Complaint – Attorney Consumer Assistance Program.”  Immediately, out loud (and to whomever was nearest), I incredulously said, “I have a Bar Complaint filed against me? Huh?”  The email, which looked extremely official, directed me to click on a link to see the Complaint.  I, of course, without thinking or questioning the email, clicked on the link.  Thankfully, that particular link only took me to another page with another link to “upload” the Complaint.  I again clicked on the “upload” link.  This is when, thankfully, my fancy antivirus software said, NO, we are “quarantining this” (whatever that means) as it is “ransomware” (whatever that means).  This should have been the ultimate warning that this email was not actually real.  But, in my frenzied “I can’t believe this is happening to me” state, I continued to click over and over again on the link; trying to get past the quarantine.

Finally, upon my husband’s prompting, I started evaluating the email, and eventually determined (after a call to a friend and The Florida Bar) that the email was fake.  In my frantic search, I realized that a similar fraudulent email had gone out recently to Florida Bar members claiming that the member’s bar dues were late.  I also learned that “ransomware” is software that blocks access to any files on the affected computer until the user pays a sum of money; it essentially holds your software hostage.  It became clear to me that people who sent these malicious messages have access to The Florida Bar members’ email addresses (they are publicly available) and have realized the benefits of preying on attorneys.

As attorneys our files contain confidential and sensitive information that we are required to keep confidential and secure.  If the software had taken files from a law firm hostage, the firm would feel they have no choice but to pay the ransom.  It also became clear to me that with a bit of education, more people might avoid the possibility of having their files held ransom.  So, here are some tips to determine if emails you receive are legitimate:

• Florida Bar emails will be addressed to you personally, and will not say “Dear Bar Member.” This is a classic way for file-nappers to send the email to a bunch of lawyers at once without personalizing it.
• The official name is “The Florida Bar”– Official emails will not use the name “The Florida Bar Association,” or any other variation of “Florida Bar
• Most official Florida Bar correspondence comes through snail mail. This is not true for all  But, it is true for most.  Moreover, The Florida Bar does not email invoices to members for payment and uses its website — www.floridabar.org — for all online credit card payment processes.  If the email asks you to input information of any kind (credit cards, social security #s, passwords, etc.) into any other website, question it FIRST.
• If you get an email allegedly from the “Florida Bar” (or other important institution like your bank or your child’s school) and it makes you panic in some way, you should at least question that email. This is especially true if there are links in the email to click on.  Call The Florida Bar (or other organization) BEFORE you click on the link; no matter how serious you believe it is.  Indeed, the more serious you believe the email to be, the more cautious you should be in deciding whether to click.  There is nothing The Florida Bar can do (including having a complaint filed against you) that cannot wait until The Florida Bar offices can open up for you to ask them.

The main message is to be cautious of any emails that ask you to click on any link.  This is especially sound advice when the email is one that causes you panic or concern.  People (and people who try to use malicious software against you) prey on panic and concern.  I know firsthand, as I was the attempted victim of one of those people.

Angela Benjamin is an Assistant County Attorney for Broward County, Florida.  She is a graduate of the University of Florida, Frederic G. Levin College of Law and will be serving on The Florida Bar’s Civil Rules Practice Committee for a term beginning July 2016.