Alerts

Warning: Correspondence misusing the name of Gans & Co Solicitors LLP

5 May 2022

A letter has been sent falsely claiming to be from Edward Goodman of Gans & Co Solicitors LLP, in respect of a supposedly unclaimed inheritance.

What is the scam?

A letter has been sent to an individual residing in Canada, referring to a supposedly unclaimed inheritance. The letter falsely claims to be from Edward Goodman of Gans & Co Solicitors LLP (see below for details of the genuine solicitor and firm).

The letter seen by the SRA asks the recipient to help claim the inheritance due as the recipient holds the same surname as the supposed client/deceased. The letter provides the email address 'egoodman@ganssolicitor.com' (with no final 's' immediately before the .com) and the telephone and fax numbers '020 7096 5756' and 020 7096 5024' but otherwise misuses the genuine name and other details of the firm (see below).

Any business or transaction through the above email address of 'egoodman@ganssolicitor.com' or the above telephone and fax numbers, is not undertaken by a solicitors' practice authorised and regulated by the SRA.

Is there a genuine firm or person?

The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine firm of solicitors called Gans & Co Solicitors LLP (SRA ID: 489594).  The firm has a head office address of 214-216 Rye Lane, Peckham, London SE15 4NL and its genuine website address is www.ganssolicitors.com. The firm’s genuine head office telephone number is 020 7469 7010.

The SRA also authorises and regulates a genuine solicitor called Edward Goodman, who is a member of Gans & Co Solicitors LLP.  The genuine email address for Edward Goodman is egoodman@ganssolicitors.com.

The genuine firm of Gans & Co Solicitors LLP has confirmed that neither the firm nor the genuine Edward Goodman has any connection to the letter 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.