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Phishing emails purported to be from PACER’s electronic filing system target lawyers

By Debra Cassens Weiss

November 7, 2024, 9:42 am CST

Lawyers who respond to fake emails purporting to be from PACER’s electronic filing system are being led to malicious websites with computer viruses, the U.S. federal judiciary warned Wednesday.

The emails claim to contain notices of electronic filing from PACER’s Case Management/Electronic Case Files system, known as CM/ECF. Lawyers are told to reply immediately, and when they do, they are sent a link to access the supposed case documents. Instead, the link sends lawyers to the malicious website.

The scam targets lawyers across the country, according to the IT Security Office for the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

“To avoid becoming a victim of the scam,” the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts said, “be sure to always validate cases and case documentation directly through your local federal court’s CM/ECF system. Never download attachments or click on links from unofficial or questionable sources.”