Alerts

Warning: Emails misusing the name of Bhavini Bhudia of Law and Lawyers Ltd

3 December 2021

Emails have been sent falsely claiming to be from Bhavini Bhudia of Law and Lawyers Ltd.

What is the scam?

Emails have been sent falsely claiming to be from ‘Bhavini Bhudia’ of ‘Law and Lawyers Ltd’ requesting the payment of funds into an alternative bank account.

The emails seen by the SRA were sent from the email addresses bhavini@lawsandlawyer.uk and bhavini@lawandlawyer.co.uk. The emails misused the name and details of a genuine solicitor and firm (see below).

Any business or transactions through the above email addresses are not undertaken by a firm of solicitors or by an individual authorised and regulated by the SRA.

Is there a genuine firm or person?

The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine firm of solicitors called Law and Lawyers Ltd. The firm’s head office address is 352 High Street North, London, E12 6PH. The firm also has branches at Level 18, 40 Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5NR and 106 Irlam Road, Flixton, Manchester, M41 6JT.

The genuine firm has confirmed that it employs a solicitor called Bhavini Bhudia whose genuine email address is bhavini@lawandlawyers.co.uk.

The genuine firm has confirmed that neither it nor Bhavini Bhudia have any genuine or intended connection to the emails referred to in the above alert.

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.