While the surges in technology have done much to make life easier – or at least more interactive – for millions, they have also forged the easiest path to exploit the lives of its beneficiaries.

Bill Voss, lead attorney and owner of The Voss Law Firm in The Woodlands, Texas had this to say:

[quote align=”center” color=”#999999″]“Some people are – sometimes rightfully – alarmed the moment a legal issue might arise, so much so, that if someone you don’t even know threatens legal action over something outside of your control, you might offer to settle with them.” – Bill Voss[/quote]

“By doing that, you can commit yourself to personal, professional and financial grief that might never go away,” said Bill Voss

Voss identifies five scams that may appear legal, but are anything but:

1. Identity theft – This happens when someone takes the personal information of another person and uses it without their knowledge or consent. Identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the world and can happen to anyone. “By being aware of the issue and by managing your personal information wisely, you can help guard against identity theft,” said Voss. “However, if you do become a victim of it, the nightmare of reclaiming your own identity can take years. It is vital that you retain legal counsel that specializes in the field.”
2. Credit repair – 8 in 10 Americans are in debt, and that ratio is likely to go up. With more and more people relying on credit to survive daily costs, the conditions are ripe for so-called “credit repair” companies to swoop in and offer an easy out. Too often, the victims are left even worse off than they were before.
3. Tax relief – A variation of the “fix your credit” scam is the “tax relief” scam, with companies that target people who owe money to the Internal Revenue Service. Voss cautions that an attorney who specializes in tax law is best suited to deal with the IRS on your behalf, rather than a company unknown to you that does not necessarily have your best interests at heart. “When it comes to taxes and your credit, you need to be able to trust who is representing you and your finances,” said Voss.
4. Personal injury – In the “days of old,” it was primarily business owners who needed to watch out for people harming themselves on their properties. However, today, homeowners are frequently finding themselves the victims of “slip-and-fall” scams, where strangers (and sometimes even friends) appear to have injured themselves on the property in order to collect a cash payout. “Finding the proper attorney to represent you would most likely yield significant benefits,” said Voss. “For instance, that attorney’s investigations might discover a pattern of personal injury litigation abuse that could shut down the case against you.”
5. Auto accident – Accidents involving autos are a major attraction for scam artists. There are nearly 6 million authentic auto accidents per year in the country, and more than three thousand people die in them per day. Scammers immediately target people who have been involved in auto accidents, whether these people caused the accident or are victims of it. Frequently these targets are pressured into making statements or decisions in the heat of the moment. Voss stresses the importance of immediately contacting an attorney that can be trusted.

Realizing that too many people don’t know how – or are afraid – to retain legal counsel until it is too late, Voss created HireMeLegal.com to take the stress and guesswork out of finding qualified, experienced legal counsel. Users can register for free and post their legal issue. Qualified attorneys with the right experience and skills reach out and bid for the chance to take on the case. Users can also search HireMeLegal.com’s directory of thousands of top tier attorneys and initiate contact themselves. They can search by legal specialization, geographical location and user rating. The process is secure, and no personal details are displayed when a user posts a case.

HireMeLegal.com is an interactive social networking platform connecting thousands of potential clients with top tier legal talent across the U.S. Attorneys can create a free profile at hml.goecommercebaby.com/user/register.

The Voss Law Firm, P.C. is located in The Woodlands, Texas and serves clients in the Houston/Galveston and Dallas/Fort Worth areas, litigating many different types of cases both nationally and internationally. For more information, call (713) 861-0015.