Alerts

Warning: Emails misusing the name of Richard Kershaw of Hill and Company Solicitors

1 June 2021

Emails have been sent misusing the name of Richard Kershaw of Hill and Company Solicitors.

What is the scam?

We have been notified that various individuals received emails that misuse the name of Richard Kershaw of Hill and Company Solicitors. The copy email seen by the SRA provides a link to a confidential message marked 'Just Ellard Project'.  A concern is that the link to the attachment may contain malware. 

We understand that the relevant email appears to have been sent on 24 May 2021 at around 12:00pm UK time.

The email appeared as if sent from the genuine email address of Richard Kershaw of Hill and Company Solicitors ('r.kershaw@hillandcompany.co.uk' - see below), but were not genuinely sent by Mr Kershaw.

The email also provided a false telephone number of '0161 928 3601' and a false fax number of '0161 926 9393'.

Any business or transactions through, or arising from, the specific email referred to above (i.e. from 24 May 2021) are not genuinely undertaken by a solicitor's practice authorised and regulated by the SRA, 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 Hill and Company Solicitors, whose head office address is 4, 6 & 8 Market Street, Altrincham, WA14 1QD.

The genuine firm uses email addresses with the domain name 'hillandcompany.co.uk'.

The firm’s telephone number is 0161 928 3201 and the fax number is 0161 926 9363.

The genuine firm employs a genuine solicitor called Richard Kershaw, whose genuine email address is 'r.kershaw@hillandcompany.co.uk'

The genuine firm of Hill and Company Solicitors has confirmed that neither the firm or their employee Richard Kershaw have any genuine and intended connection to the emails referred to in the alert 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.