Alerts
Warning: Correspondence misusing the name of Burges Salmon LLP
7 June 2022
Correspondence has been sent misusing the name of Burges Salmon LLP in relation to the payment of invoices.
What is the scam?
Correspondence has been sent falsely purporting to be from Mark Lockett of Burges Salmon LLP.
The correspondence seen by the SRA includes an invoice and a document called ‘Burges Salmon UK Bank details, which includes false bank details.
The correspondence was sent from the email address mark.lockett@burges-slamon.com. It also provides contact details for the branch office of a genuine firm (see below).
Any business or transaction through the email address 'mark.lockett@burges-slamon.com' is not undertaken by an individual or firm of solicitors authorised and regulated by the SRA.
Is there a genuine firm or person?
The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine firm of solicitors called Burges Salmon LLP.
The firm’s genuine website is www.burges-salmon.com and its genuine email addresses end in the domain name '@burges-salmon.com'
The genuine firm has a branch office at Atria One,144 Morrison Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8EX, which has the telephone number 0131 314 2112, fax number 0113 377 2604 and DX number ED30 Edinburgh.
The firm has confirmed that it employs a member of staff called Mark Lockett, whose genuine email address is 'Mark.Lockett@burges-salmon.com'.
The genuine firm of Burges Salmon LLP has confirmed that neither it, nor the genuine Mark Lockett have any genuine or 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.