Alerts

Warning: Fax misusing the name of Solicitor Anthony Armitage

1 March 2022

A fax has been sent misusing the name of Anthony Armitage

What is the scam?

A fax has been sent that falsely claim to be from Anthony Armitage of First Law Limited.  The fax seen by the SRA relates to a purported inheritance of a very large amount of money, with the recipient having the same surname as a supposedly deceased client.

The fax seen by the SRA provides the genuine office address of First Law Ltd (see below), but false contact details of +44 0208 8133 6984, a.armitage@firstlawltd.com and a.armitage992@gmail.com, and a fraudulent website www.firstlawltd.com.

Any business or transaction through the above telephone number, email addresses or website are not 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 Solicitor, Mr Anthony Armitage. The genuine Solicitor is an employee at the Solicitors Regulation Authority Limited.

First Law Ltd is a genuine firm but not an SRA-regulated law practice. It is based at 57 Richmond Road, London, SW20 0PE.

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.