Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

It's not a scam but attorneys don't like being lied to either. Clients have attorney client privilege and attorney client confidentiality when speaking to an attorney, so after I explain that and a client continues to lie to me, I figure it is a red flag and try to get rid of that client as soon as possible.

Mr. Roach is correct and has provided you with excellent information. When you call and/or meet with an attorney to discuss a case. In California the attorney/client privilege and the duty to maintain the client's confidentiality triggers immediately when discussing a legal matter. Even if you do not hire that attorney they can not talk about it. The duty of client confidentiality has already attached. In other words, your worries are really not a problem. When you are calling around and shopping for representation the information you tell the attorney is protected information.

Good luck