Alerts

Warning: Letter claiming to be from 'LCF Solicitors at Law'

16 June 2022

A letter has been sent claiming to be from 'LCF Solicitors at Law' in relation to a supposedly unclaimed inheritance.

What is the scam?

A member of the public has received a letter from an individual called 'Jonathan Mercer' of 'Jonathan Mercer LLP' claiming to be a 'Personal Attorney' to a deceased client. The letter advises the recipient that they share the same surname as the deceased client. The supposed 'Jonthan Mercer' requests the recipient to stand in as the next of kin of the deceased, to release money held in a bank account. The letter seen by the SRA informs the recipient that 20% of the money will go to charity with the remaining 80% to be equally shared between 'Jonathan Mercer' and the recipient.

The letter provides an address of '2, The Embankment, Sovereign St, Leeds, LS1 4BP' a telephone number of '+44 738 7651 006' and an email address of 'jonathanmercer@net-c.com'.

Any business or transaction through 'LCF Solicitors at Law', 'Jonathan Mercer LLP' and the above individual, postal address, telephone number and email address are not undertaken by a solicitors' practice 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 LCF Law Limited trading as LCF, LCF Barber Titley, LCF Online and LCF Works. The head office is based at One St. James Business Park, New Augustus Street, Bradford BD1 5LL. The telephone number is 01274848800. The email addresses used by the firm use the domain @lcf.co.uk.

The genuine firm called LCF Law Limited has confirmed that they have no connection to the letter 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.