HONOLULU � The FBI reports some con artists have taken a total of $500,000 from six Honolulu law firms since the start of the year.

The special agent-in-charge of the FBI�s Honolulu office, Charlene Thornton, explained the scam Monday.
It begins with a law firm receiving an e-mail from a prospective client from overseas.
The client then sends the firm a cashier�s check for a legal fee retainer in an amount far exceeding industry standards.
When the law firm informs the client the retainer is too high, the client requests a wire transfer refund to a foreign bank account.
After the refund is sent, the firm learns the cashier�s check was counterfeit, and it�s out the amount of the refund.
The scam involved bank accounts in South Korea, Taiwan and Canada.