Reminder to Exercise Caution – Misuse of the Troutman Pepper Locke Name
Troutman Pepper Locke has become aware that scammers are illegally using our firm’s name (and similar variations), as well as the names of some of our lawyers, in attempts to deceive individuals and businesses. These schemes may involve emails, letters, text or instant messages, phone calls, and fake social media or LinkedIn profiles. Although these communications may appear to come from our firm, they are not genuine and are not authorized by Troutman Pepper Locke.
How These Scams Commonly Appear
In many cases, fraudsters impersonate Troutman Pepper Locke or one of our lawyers to request payment, redirect funds, obtain sensitive personal information, or trick individuals into downloading malicious software. Examples include messages that:
- Ask you to pay an invoice, trust account deposit, or retainer, or to change previously agreed bank account details for an existing payment or settlement.
- Claim to be from a Troutman Pepper Locke lawyer using a free or non-firm email service (such as Gmail, Yahoo, or Outlook) and threaten legal action, such as for alleged copyright or trademark infringement.
- Urgently or “confidentially” invite you to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) or engagement letter via an online platform in connection with a supposed transaction, investment, or dispute.
- Claim that Troutman Pepper Locke is arranging a new job, consulting engagement, or board role for you and require you to sign an NDA, pay a fee, or provide extensive personal information.
- Use telephone numbers, caller ID information, or text messages that appear similar to or “spoof” Troutman Pepper Locke numbers in order to pressure you to take immediate action, provide security codes, or address supposed account or security issues.
Troutman Pepper Locke is not involved in any of these activities. This list is not exhaustive; fraudsters continually adapt their tactics. If you receive any unexpected communication that appears to be from Troutman Pepper Locke and involves requests for money, sensitive information, or urgent action, you should treat it as suspicious and verify it using known, independent contact details for the firm before responding.
How to Recognize a Legitimate Email From Us
Authentic Troutman Pepper Locke emails are sent only from official firm email domains (troutman.com). Scammers often use email addresses or websites that look very similar to ours but contain small differences, such as a missing letter, minor spelling differences, an extra character, or a different domain ending (for example, “Troutmen” instead of “Troutman).
We do not use Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, or other free webmail services, and we do not use generic addresses such as example_legalrepresentative@lawyer.com.
If you receive a message that is unexpected or suspicious, or it “does not feel right,” even if it appears to come from Troutman Pepper Locke, treat it with caution.
What to Do If You Receive a Suspicious Communication
If you receive a communication that claims to be from Troutman Pepper Locke but appears suspicious:
- Do not reply.
- Do not click any links or open any attachments.
If you would like to verify whether a communication is legitimate or report suspected misuse of our name, you may contact us directly at security@troutman.com. Where possible, please send the original suspicious email to us as an attachment (rather than forwarding it in-line), and include any relevant context (for example, how and when you received it).
If you are confident that a message is a scam, you may simply delete it. We strongly advise against engaging with suspected scammers in any way.
Reporting Scams to Authorities
Please note that Troutman Pepper Locke may not be able to respond individually to every report of suspected fraud that we receive. If you believe your rights, finances, or safety may be at risk, you should promptly contact local law enforcement or the appropriate government agencies in your jurisdiction.
Remaining vigilant, double‑checking unexpected or unusual requests, and verifying the source of communications are among the most effective ways to protect yourself against fraud.