The company name "Howard Gilbert Law" is tied to a well-known international phishing and debt collection scam. Imposters frequently impersonate real law firms or invent fake legal entities to scare people into sending money.
The Scam Tactics
Scammers use variations of this name to trick victims in two primary ways:
- The Unclaimed Life Insurance Policy Scam (as "Gilbert Howard Law" / "Gilbert Howard LLP"): Victims receive a letter or email from a fake solicitor named "Gilbert Howard" claiming to be based in Canada. The message falsely states that a deceased client sharing your last name left behind an unclaimed permanent life insurance policy or "Payable-on-Death" monetary deposit worth millions of dollars. The scammers ask for personal information to "split" the inheritance.
- The Fraudulent Debt Collection Scam (as "Gilbert Law Firm LLC"):
Scammers use this name to aggressively target individuals over the phone or email regarding fake payday or default loans (sometimes referencing companies like "Speedy Cash"). They threaten legal action, wage garnishment, or claim they will "suspend your Social Security Number" if immediate electronic payment is not made.
A Sample of a Scam
Attn: Mr. [Name removed],
My name is Barr. Gilbert Howard, I am a solicitor with Gilbert Howard LLP, Canada. There is an unclaimed "permanent life insurance policy" held by our deceased client.
The transaction pertains to an unclaimed "Payable-on-Death" ("POD") savings monetary deposit in the sum of Nine Million Eight Hundred and Twenty Thousand United States Dollars ($9,820,000) The policy holder was one of our clients, Mr. Hans Schmidt who worked with Energy Company here in Canada. He died in an accident in Toronto, Canada, Ten years ago.
Since His death no one has come forward for the claim and all our efforts to locate His relatives have proved unsuccessful.
The insurance company code stipulates that "insured permanent policies" not claimed must be turned over to the abandoned property division of the state after 10 years. Therefore, I ask for your consent to be in partnership with me for the claim of this policy benefit, if you permit me to add your name to the policy, all proceeds will be processed on your behalf. I wish to point out that I want 10% of this money to be shared among charity organizations while the remaining 90% will be shared between us.
This is 100% risk free; I do have all necessary documentation to expedite the process in a highly professional and confidential manner.
I will provide all the relevant documents to substantiate your claim as the beneficiary. This claim requires a high level of confidentiality, and it may take up to thirty ;business days, from the date of receipt of your consent.
Here attached is a copy of my ID Card for you to know my level of sincerity and transparency in this transaction.
Your earliest response to this matter would be highly appreciated.
Have a nice day.
Best regards
Barr. Gilbert Howard (ESQ)
Gilbert Howard LLP
Tel: +1 (812) 226-2861
Web: https://howardgilbertllp.com
Crucial Red Flags
- Threats to suspend your SSN: Attorneys and private debt collectors have absolutely no authority to freeze or suspend Social Security Numbers. [1]
- Extreme urgency: Legitimate collection agencies are legally required to give you 30 days to dispute a debt in writing before taking aggressive legal action.
- Requests for untraceable payments: Requesting money via wire transfers, cryptocurrency, gift cards, or immediate debit card authorizations are hallmarks of a scam.