Bar wants to protect Florida lawyers and the public from identity theft.

Earlier this month, Anthony Christopher Robinson got a call from an elderly woman convinced he was in cahoots with a phony sweepstakes scam that had tried to dupe her.

She had his full name and Florida Bar number, as well as his law firm cell phone number.

Robinson persuaded her that he was not the dishonest person trying to rip her off. Robinson referred her to his member profile on the Bar's webpage, where, at the top, appears this fraud alert: "The Florida Bar has been advised that attorney Mr. Anthony Christopher Robinson is the victim of identity theft. If you have been contacted on an unsolicited basis by someone claiming to be this attorney or by someone on this attorney's behalf and have any reason to doubt such person's identity, please contact Mr. Anthony Christopher Robinson at [phone number]. Thank you."

It's all part of The Florida Bar's continuing efforts to protect Florida lawyers and the public from identity theft.

"The Florida Bar has made security of its members' information a top priority and focuses time and resources to keep up with evolving threats," said Shanell Schuyler, director of intake at the Bar's Attorney/Consumer Assistance Program.

She advises both members of the public who have been contacted by someone claiming to be a Florida Bar member, as well as lawyers who believe their identities have been stolen, to call the ACAP Hotline at 866-352-0707. The more information the Bar has about the latest fraudulent schemes, the better able the Bar is to prevent future scams by educating members and the public, she said.

Information about identity theft is retained for one year in the Bar's database. Schuyler also advises lawyers who may be victims of identity fraud to notify their local law enforcement agency, as well as the Attorney General's Consumer Fraud Hotline at 866-966-7226.

If a complaint is filed by a consumer concerning a scheme to defraud them, the lawyer may be required to respond to a formal Bar grievance. The lawyer can point to the reference number from ACAP as proof they were proactive and notified the Bar about the identity theft.

In Robinson's case, in February, the Florida Bar reached out to him first, to let him know there was a California investigation about a Florida lawyer matching his identity who had ripped off an elderly person in an investment scheme.

As Robinson recalls, the elderly person's son initiated an investigation in California, the FBI was involved, and The Florida Bar was...