Alerts

Warning: Emails have been sent falsely claiming to be from the firm Oliver Fisher, in relation to conveyancing matters.

9 May 2024

Emails have been sent falsely claiming to be from the firm Oliver Fisher, in relation to conveyancing matters.

What is the scam?

The SRA has been informed that emails have been sent from someone falsely purporting to be 'Fatma Mehmet' and 'Michael Twum-Barima' of Oliver Fisher, in relation to conveyancing matters.

The emails misuse the names of genuine solicitors and details of a genuine firm of solicitors (see below for genuine details).

The emails seen by the SRA relate to making arrangements for payment of a deposit in relation to a property transaction. The email addresses used to send the emails were 'michael@oliverfishers.co.uk' and 'fatma@oliverfishers.co.uk' (with an additional 's' at the end of the domain name, on which see below in relation to genuine details).

Any business or transactions through the email addresses 'michael@oliverfishers.co.uk' and 'fatma@oliverfishers.co.uk' (or other emails from the domain '@oliverfishers.co.uk') are not undertaken by a firm or individual authorised and regulated by the SRA. However, the SRA has been informed that the domain name @oliverfishers.co.uk has now been suspended.

Is there a genuine firm or person?

The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine firm of solicitors called Oliver Fisher, which has a head office at Royalty Studios, 105-109 Lancaster Road, London, W11 1QF. The firm’s telephone number is 0203 219 0145 and fax number is 0203 219 0175. The firm's genuine email domain ends in @oliverfisher.co.uk.

The SRA also authorises and regulates genuine solicitors called Fatma Mehmet and Michael Twum-Barima, who are both employed at Oliver Fisher. The genuine email addresses of Fatma Mehmet and Michael Twum-Barima are fatma@oliverfisher.co.uk and michael@oliverfisher.co.uk.

Oliver Fisher has confirmed that neither the firm or the genuine solicitors Fatma Mehmet and Michael Twum-Barima have any genuine connection to the emails referred to above.

What should I do?

When a firm's or individual's identity has been copied exactly (or cloned), due diligence is necessary. If you receive correspondence claiming to be from the above firm(s) or individual(s), or information of a similar nature to that described, you should conduct your own due diligence by checking the authenticity of the correspondence by contacting the law firm directly by reliable and established means. You can contact the SRA to find out if individuals or firms are regulated and authorised by the SRA and verify an individual's or firm's practising details. Other verification methods, such as checking public records (e.g. telephone directories and company records) may be required in other circumstances.