Fraud, dishonesty and serious misconduct
The greatest risks posed to the public and consumers of legal services are fraud, dishonesty and serious misconduct. We guard against these risks.
Gathering information
Our Fraud and Confidential Intelligence Bureau is dedicated to gathering information and intelligence, operating in accordance with the National Intelligence Model.
If you know, or suspect, that another solicitor, or their employee, is involved in dishonest or serious misconduct, contact our Red Alert line on 0845 850 0999 or 01926 439673 or email redalert@sra.org.uk. Red Alert is available to all members of the profession and their staff who want to report concerns.
Any report you make is treated with strict confidentiality.
If you are a consumer or a member of the public, please follow the reporting instructions provided in Recognising fraud and dishonesty.
Examples of the type of conduct you should report to us are
- misappropriation from client account,
- suspected money laundering through the profession,
- mortgage fraud,
- abandonment or sudden closure,
- arrest, charge or conviction of other solicitors or their employees,
- suspected dishonesty,
- financial problems,
- a person pretending to be a solicitor.
You have an obligation to report serious misconduct and serious financial difficulty.
Criminals may try to trick you
Criminals may try to use you to make their scams appear more credible.
Scams try to persuade individuals to invest or send money. To learn more about the type of scams to look for and avoid, choose from the options on the left. Alternatively, see useful links.